Sound Advice

Why Hearing Aids Help Tinnitus Part 2

Another way to illustrate how hearing aids help tinnitus is to think of sitting in total darkness and then lighting a candle. When that candle is lit, it is the only source of light in the room, therefore, your eyes are drawn to it and it is prominent. Now imagine sitting in a well-lit room. Again, light that same candle. The difference in overall lighting is very minimal. Because there are other sources of light, the eye is not drawn to that candle. In fact, the person may be totally unaware that there is a lit candle at all. The same thing happens with tinnitus. If there are very few sounds to listen to in the environment or little sound stimulation due to hearing loss, the brain will focus on the tinnitus because it is the most prominent sound. If there are many sounds present, or if amplification from a hearing aid makes more sounds audible, the brain is so pre-occupied processing other sounds that the tinnitus is no longer as prominent or may even be unnoticeable. Additionally, the brain’s auditory cortex is being more adequately stimulated with the use of hearing aids; this allows the brain’s sensitivity to sounds to decrease to more normal levels as well. In conclusion, for most individuals suffering from tinnitus, treating the hearing loss first is quite effective at treating the tinnitus as well.

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