In the past year or two, we have seen an influx of a new type of hearing aid on the market: the tinnitus masking hearing aid. The tinnitus masking hearing aids look like regular hearing aids but have two functions: to improve hearing as a hearing aid would, and to put out another signal to help distract the brain from the sound of tinnitus. To read more about tinnitus, click HERE. About 80-85% of people who suffer from tinnitus also have hearing loss that is severe enough to benefit from use of a hearing aid.
Tinnitus masking hearing aids look like regular hearing aids
Hearing Revolution recognizes that many patients suffer with tinnitus daily, and we have included a couple of different options in our product offerings.
The ReSound Alera series has the ability to be ordered as the TS form, meaning a “Tinnitus Solution”, in most styles of aids at the Alera 9 level, in the RIC and BTE styles of the ALera 7 level, and just in the BTE at the Alera 5 level. The hearing aids function like normal hearing aids, but have the additional ability to play a white noise sound (set as softly or loudly as you would like, at the frequency appropriate for you) to help alleviate the tinnitus. The Alera TS is highly customizable for both your hearing and tinnitus needs, whatever they may be. Like the standard Alera hearing aids, the Alera 9 and 7 have 17 channels while the Alera 5 has 9 channels.
The Audifon Switch 8 is another product available as solely a tinnitus masker or can be used as a hearing aid + tinnitus masker. The Switch 8 has the option of using white noise masking or a tinnitus noise generator, as well as being able to be used as a hearing aid or not. That leaves the wearer with much flexibility and many options/combinations to find the exactly right one. The Switch 8 TRT model is available in a BTE, RIC, or custom style of instrument.
Tinnitus masking hearing aids or hearing systems with sound generators are used in tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), with the goal being to habituate the wearer to the tinnitus until it is no longer perceived as a problem. The masking noise/generator distracts the brain, especially when the person with the tinnitus is somewhere quiet, which is a time when the perception of tinnitus would normally be more severe than usual.
While many people who have hearing loss and who suffer from tinnitus experience relief from traditional hearing aids, this is another option for people with more severe tinnitus, or for people who have tried regular hearing aids and are still suffering. For more questions or comments, please contact Hearing Revolution at info@hearingrevolution.com or call us at 877-426-0687 to schedule an appointment today!
Until next time,
Dr. Kristin