Tinnitus: Ear Wax or a Side Effect of Hearing Loss?

close-up of field on windy day; tinnitus distraction concept

A reader at the USA Today Health column asked if there's a hearing aid that can filter out the miserable ringing/buzzing in his ears due to heavy tinnitus.

The answer given was thorough: first make sure you see a doctor to check for treatable problems (which range from allergies to ear wax).

If you have hearing loss, then the sounds in your head might well be a side effect of that condition. It seems that our brains compensate for the loss of sound inputs by creating sounds of their own.

The use of a sound-amplifying hearing aid can not only help you hear better, but it might also reduce your brain's need to make its own noise.

The balance of the column talks about distraction techniques and alternative therapies and notes that although tinnitus varies from case to case, it usually does fade with time and/or becomes "less bothersome."

For example, some get relief by incorporating ambient sounds such as wind chimes into their daily routine. These sounds are played at a volume slightly lower than the ringing in their ears to create a distraction, which can help to refocus attention away from the tinnitus noise.

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Tinnitus Help - Stop the Ringing in Your Ears

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