Are Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Connected?

Tinnitus and hearing loss are closely connected, although it is more likely that someone with hearing loss will acquire tinnitus than the other way around. Tinnitus usually follows the pattern of hearing loss a person experiences, it's based on the type of hearing loss and the location. 

Around 90% of people with Tinnitus also have hearing loss, but they may not realize they have either condition. If you have trouble hearing high pitched frequencies your hearing loss will probably be affected in this region. Similarly, if your hearing loss is only in one ear, the tinnitus will show up in one ear also. 

Tinnitus

Tinnitus developed because of the way the brain is wired to the ear and because of how the ear works to produce sound. The ear is made up of three parts, the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. The inner ear has a snail-shaped component called the cochlea. 

The cochlea is filled with fluid and contains tiny hair cells. These cells vibrate with sound and send a signal to the auditory nerve leading to the brain. The brain then interprets these sounds. If the hair cells are lost or damaged the brain interprets the absence of sound and creates noise. 

Hearing loss

Hearing loss works in much the same way as tinnitus. The hair cells in the cochlea are damaged or lost due to loud sounds or age and the signals don't reach the brain the way they should. Either that or faulty signals are sent to the brain that are misinterpreted. 

If you have the onset of hearing loss you probably won't be able to hear high frequency sounds at first and it becomes harder to hear individual sounds against the background noise of a room. Because your hearing is also closely linked to the presence of cochlea hair cells, both conditions can occur simultaneously. 

Can hearing aids help? 

Both hearing loss and tinnitus can be fixed by using a hearing device that's recommended to you by your audiologist. These devices come in a range of sizes and specs to fit seamlessly with your hearing issues and lifestyle. A hearing aid can either increase your hearing or reduce the background noise. 

If you have hearing loss or tinnitus it's a good idea to contact your audiologist for a hearing test. Hearing tests are non-invasive, they can be carried out promptly and your hearing issue can be taken care of on the same day. 

Best hearing aids 

There is a wide range of hearing aids on the market today to cater to every type of hearing loss and lifestyle. If you want a device that is discrete and functional your audiologist will point you in the right direction, similarly, if you want one that is functional but affordable there are plenty to choose from. 

A hearing device will solve your hearing issue by amplifying the sounds in your environment to make them more audible. But they can also be suitable for reducing the background hissing that is generated by tinnitus. The conditions are linked and so are the solutions.