Can Hearing Aids Help Tinnitus?
· All About Hearing Team
If you have tinnitus and some hearing loss, hearing aids may help. The NHS lists them as a treatment option when hearing loss is present, and Tinnitus UK explains that correcting hearing loss may help reduce tinnitus. They aren't a cure, and they're unlikely to help on their own if your hearing is otherwise normal.
When tinnitus needs urgent attention
The HSE advises calling 112 or 999, or going to your nearest emergency department, if you have tinnitus after a head injury, or tinnitus with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the muscles of your face, or a spinning sensation (vertigo). See your GP if your tinnitus beats in time with your pulse, is getting worse, or is affecting your sleep, concentration or mental health. This site arranges hearing tests and audiologist appointments; it doesn't replace urgent medical care.
Why hearing aids can help
Tinnitus and hearing loss often go together. As Tinnitus UK puts it, “the absence of heard sound is replaced by perceived sound.” Hearing aids aim to correct the hearing loss, which Tinnitus UK says may help reduce tinnitus. Bringing everyday sounds back in can make the tinnitus less prominent.
What about combination devices?
Some hearing aids include a built-in sound generator that plays low-level sound to make tinnitus less intrusive. It's worth knowing that Tinnitus UK says the evidence for this extra feature “is not yet proven”, and that for most people amplification alone reduced how annoying their tinnitus was. An audiologist can talk you through whether it's worth having.
Other options
If hearing aids aren't the answer, the NHS lists tinnitus counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and tinnitus retraining therapy, as well as sound therapy for coping day to day. See our tinnitus guide for common causes.
Start with a hearing test
A hearing test shows whether you have hearing loss alongside your tinnitus, which tells you whether hearing aids are likely to help. We arrange tests with a qualified, independent audiologist, at home or in a clinic. If hearing aids are recommended, see hearing aid prices in Ireland and the help available toward the cost.
Sources: HSE: tinnitus; NHS: tinnitus; Tinnitus UK: tinnitus and hearing aids.
Frequently asked questions
- Do hearing aids help with tinnitus?
- They can, if you also have hearing loss. The NHS says hearing aids may be recommended for tinnitus if you have hearing loss, and Tinnitus UK explains that correcting hearing loss may help reduce tinnitus.
- Will a hearing aid help if my hearing is normal?
- Probably not on its own. Hearing aids work by correcting hearing loss. If your hearing is normal, other approaches such as tinnitus counselling, sound therapy or CBT may be more suitable. Your GP or an audiologist can advise.
- What are combination hearing aids?
- Some hearing aids include a sound generator that plays low-level sounds to make tinnitus less noticeable. Tinnitus UK says the evidence that this adds benefit beyond amplification alone isn't yet proven.
- When is tinnitus urgent?
- The HSE advises calling 112 or 999, or going to your nearest emergency department, if you have tinnitus after a head injury, or with sudden hearing loss, weakness in the muscles of your face, or a spinning sensation (vertigo). See your GP if your tinnitus beats in time with your pulse, is getting worse, or is affecting your sleep, concentration or mental health.
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