How To Use Hearing Aids To Help With Tinnitus?

Posted on Mon, 23 Jun 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 Answered on

Fri, 11 Jul 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : When using hearing aids to help with tinnitus should the hearing aids be set at frequency of hearing loss that I caused the tinnitus?
I have high frequency hearing loss up to 12,000 Hz

Answered by Dr. Naveen (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
With digital hearing aids yes you can...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thank you for posting the query, I will try my best to help you out with this query.

Yes, with a digitally programmable hearing aid, the frequency loss at particular level can be best corrected if it is less than 60dB. The advent of digital technology has resulted in significant hearing aid improvements.

The tinnitus is because of nerve injury. With apperopriate correction of the hearing loss at particular frequency the tinnitus can be reduced. Normally the maximum frequency at which the correction is done the best, is upto 8k Hz. Any hearing loss at 12K Hz is not much significant. Hence, most of the averge cost hearing aids gives an option of correction upto 8k Hz which will be sufficient enough. But, if there is an option in the hearing aid to even correct at 12k Hz, then that would be wonderful.

Try talking to your audiologist regarding this and check whether there are any options of upgrading your hearing aid.

Hope I have answered your query: I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D