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Guide
Hearing Aids and Tinnitus
Tinnitus and hearing loss are often connected, and some hearing aids include features some wearers find helpful. This guide explains what that does and does not mean.
What Tinnitus Is
Tinnitus is the perception of sound — often a ringing, buzzing or hissing — that is not caused by an external source. It is very common and has a range of possible causes. This guide is general information only and does not diagnose or explain the cause of anyone’s individual tinnitus.
How Hearing Aids Can Relate to Tinnitus
For some people, tinnitus is linked to hearing loss, and simply hearing external sounds more clearly can make tinnitus feel less noticeable in daily life. Some hearing aids also include a built-in masking or gentle sound-therapy feature, generating a soft background sound that some wearers find helpful for managing the perception of tinnitus.
It is important to be clear about what this is not: hearing aids and their masking features are not a cure or treatment for tinnitus, and they will not work the same way for everyone. Whether they help at all varies from person to person.
When to Speak to a Professional
If tinnitus is new, came on suddenly, is only in one ear, or is accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness or pain, see your GP promptly rather than waiting. For ongoing tinnitus, a GP or a qualified audiologist can talk through support options, including whether a hearing assessment would be useful.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Hearing aids do not cure tinnitus. Some include a masking or sound-therapy feature that some wearers find helpful for managing how noticeable tinnitus feels, but this varies from person to person.
Not always — tinnitus can have several possible causes. A hearing assessment can check whether hearing loss is a factor for you.
Both can help. See your GP promptly if tinnitus is sudden, one-sided, or accompanied by other symptoms. For general or ongoing tinnitus, an audiologist can also discuss support options alongside a hearing assessment.