Hearing aids to manage hearing loss and tinnitus

In the presence of severe to profound hearing loss, it is especially vital to address the hearing loss in the first step of tinnitus management. 

In many cases, beyond improving quality of life and reducing communication challenges, hearing aids provide relief from the burden of tinnitus.¹ In the presence of severe to profound hearing loss, it is vital to address the hearing loss in the first step of tinnitus management.² If the hearing loss is suited to treatment with hearing aids, the hearing aid fitting helps ensure the maximum audibility possible for environmental sounds, as well as speech, by taking into account: 

• Masking noise (if managed with particular care) 

• Sound enrichment with care (dedicated tinnitus noise generator) 

• Sound therapy with care 

In cases where hearing loss is not suited to treatment with hearing aids, cochlear implants could serve as an alternative treatment option and are likely to alleviate tinnitus. (2)  Most candidates for cochlear implants report tinnitus before undergoing implantation (67-100%); while 28 to 51% reported improved tinnitus post-surgery, with tinnitus subsiding in 20% of the cases.³

References:  

1 Jacquemin, L., Gilles, A., & Shekhawat, G. S. (2022). Hearing more to hear less: A scoping review of hearing aids for tinnitus relief. International Journal of Audiology, 61(11), 887–895. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2021.2007423 

2 Turton, L., Souza, P., Thibodeau, L., Hickson, L., Gifford, R., Bird, J., Stropahl, M., Gailey, L., Fulton, B., Scarinci, N., Ekberg, K., & Timmer, B. (2020). Guidelines for best practice in the audiological management of adults with severe and profound hearing loss. Seminars in Hearing, 41(03), 141–246. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1714744 

3 Olze, H., Szczepek, A. J., Haupt, H., Förster, U., Zirke, N., Gräbel, S., & Mazurek, B. (2011). Cochlear implantation has a positive influence on quality of life, tinnitus, and psychological comorbidity. The Laryngoscope, 121(10), 2220–2227. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.22145