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Tinnitus: Mitigation and prevention for ringing in the ears

Symptoms Causes Treatment Take an Online Tinnitus Quiz
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Tinnitus and hearing loss

People who experience tinnitus often show symptoms of hearing loss as well. While there is currently no known cure for tinnitus, there are options available for tinnitus relief. 

If you suffer from tinnitus and hearing loss, there are hearing aids available which include tinnitus relief features. 

Book a complimentary hearing assessment* and hearing aid demonstration in one of our centers to learn about hearing solutions that can address your hearing needs.

Book appointment Find hearing center



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Online Tinnitus Quiz

People with tinnitus often experience hearing loss. Our quick online tinnitus quiz can help you understand if you might have tinnitus and/or hearing loss and what you can do about it.

Question 1
Do you ever experience ringing or buzzing sounds in your ear(s) when no external sound is present?
Do you ever have trouble falling asleep or concentrating due to any ringing or buzzing sounds in your ear(s)?
Do you ever have trouble following conversations because you don’t hear properly?
Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the TV or radio louder than normal?

Your result:

Indications of tinnitus and hearing loss

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of tinnitus and hearing loss. We recommend that you visit one of our hearing centers. There are hearing aids that can treat your hearing loss and might give you relief from your tinnitus.*


Book a complimentary hearing assessment at an office near you

† The result of this questionnaire may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

Indications of hearing loss

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of hearing loss but no symptoms of tinnitus. We recommend that you visit one of our hearing centers to to see if you have a hearing loss that should be treated.*


Book a complimentary hearing assessment at an office near you

† The result of this questionnaire may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

Symptoms of tinnitus indicated

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of tinnitus. We recommend that you read about tinnitus treatment options to learn about how to cope with and find relief from tinnitus symptoms.*

† The result of this questionnaire may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

No tinnitus or hearing loss indicated

Your answers indicate that you may not have tinnitus - or that you have non-bothersome tinnitus that is not currently affecting your everyday life. However, we encourage you to book a complimentary hearing assessment to establish a baseline.

Request a complimentary hearing assessment*:

† The result of this questionnaire may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

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What causes tinnitus?

There are many possible causes of tinnitus. The most common cause is exposure to excessive noise, which damages the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. The ringing in your ears is the result of your brain trying to compensate for the loss of hair cells.

Common causes of ringing in the ears include:

  1. Exposure to loud noise
  2. The natural aging process
  3. Middle-ear infections
  4. Emotional distress
  5. Diabetes
  6. Negative reactions to medicines
  7. Neck or head injuries
  8. Hyperacusis (intolerance to noise)
  9. Other untreated medical conditions, such as Ménière's disease, otitis (a middle-ear infection), etc.

 Is a hearing test relevant for you?


Tinnitus relief and prevention

There is no cure for tinnitus, but there are many ways you can manage it and reduce its impact on your life. The following management techniques can be rather effective in turning a potentially negative and emotionally charged sound (tinnitus) into a neutral presence.

Illustration of man doing yoga
Relaxation and mindfulness
Yoga and meditation have been proven to be particularly effective in relieving tinnitus
Illustration of man with headphones
Sound therapy
Can help reduce the contrast between tinnitus and quiet environments
Illustration of shield with an ear
Hearing protection gear
Protection (such as earplugs) can help prevent further hearing damage caused by loud noise
Illustration of hearing aid
Hearing aids
Can make your tinnitus less noticeable by amplifying sounds. Some devices have built-in sound generators

Sound therapy can provide relief from ringing in the ears

Although sound therapy cannot eliminate tinnitus, it can be a helpful tool for managing the symptoms. With sound therapy, you listen to different, carefully selected sounds, that may help you feel that your tinnitus is reduced or temporarily gone.

It then becomes easier to not focus on your tinnitus and focus on something more pleasant. You can find the sound therapy that gives you the most effective relief from ringing in the ears by working together with your hearing care expert.

Sound therapy can be provided through:

  • Tinnitus-masking sound generator devices
  • Apps for tinnitus relief
  • Sound and sleep apps
  • Hearing aids with tinnitus sound therapy features

Take online tinnitus quiz



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Treating tinnitus with hearing aids

Hearing aids not only help with hearing loss, they simultaneously mask the sound of tinnitus by amplifying the sounds around you. This can result in reduced listening effort, a perceived reduction in tinnitus volume, and an improved ability to communicate with ease.


In addition, most of our hearing aids offer sound therapy programs that are customized to your individual needs and preferences.


View a list of our hearing aids with tinnitus-masking features:

Hearing aids and tinnitus

Tinnitus and hearing loss – do you have both?

Research shows that most people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss without being aware of it, and many of them can benefit from hearing aids.

90% of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss1

Hearing aids can help transmit more sounds into the ear and brain, thereby making the symptoms of tinnitus less bothersome. Moreover, improved hearing helps you to focus on sounds other than tinnitus, and for many people, this improvement is enough to experience relief.

Take online tinnitus quiz





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Consequences of untreated tinnitus

Some tinnitus sufferers become sensitive to places with constant talking or loud music, so they begin to avoid such social situations altogether. To others, it is so disturbing that a full night’s sleep can become difficult to achieve. Tinnitus, if left untreated, can lead to the following consequences:

  • Anger
  • Concentration problems
  • Isolation
  • Depression
  • Sensitivity to places with constant talking or loud music
  • Sleep disorder, insomnia

Some people are able to ignore their tinnitus most of the time. Leaving it untreated for an extended period of time could have a negative effect on your life and well-being. 

Learn more about tinnitus treatment options. 

FAQs about tinnitus

Sources

1https://www.ata.org/about-tinnitus/why-are-my-ears-ringing/other-hearing-conditions/

Al-Swiahb, J., & Park, S. N. (2016). Characterization of tinnitus in different age groups: A retrospective review. Noise & health, 18(83), 214–219. https://doi.org/10.4103/1463-1741.189240

Beck D.L. (2012) British Academy of Audiology. Podium presentation.

www.hearinghealthfoundation.org




Relevant links

Hearing loss prevention
Age-related hearing loss
Sensorineural hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss
Hearing loss in one ear
High-frequency hearing loss
Low-frequency hearing loss
Noise-induced hearing loss
Bilateral hearing loss
Ringing in ears
Hearing loss and dementia
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