There is a high probability that a person with tinnitus will also have a degree of hearing loss. This is a correlation that cannot be ignored, as those with hearing loss often have the most extreme cases of tinnitus. At the same time, the hearing loss is not always diagnosed. This means those with hearing loss often face an uphill battle to get the treatment they need.
Initially, you have to examine the reason that the connection between tinnitus and hearing loss gets missed. In many cases, people that suffer from this can hear just fine in low and medium frequencies. In many cases, those are the only frequencies that are tested. When the test is passed people are told they are fine. They are told they don’t have a hearing problem.
Still, they know that is not accurate. They know they cannot hear high frequencies, and whenever there is a high frequency, any type of noise is replaced with the terrible phantom noises that haunts them.
The reason the high frequencies set off their tinnitus is likely because it was the high frequencies that caused their tinnitus in the first place. When someone is persistently exposed to the higher range frequencies it develop into not being able to hear them. Tinnitus noises take over where high frequency sounds once were.
There are ways to deal with this with a doctor, but in order for that to happen your doctor must test your hearing for high frequencies. You need to be sure to clarify to your physician that you are having difficulties with higher frequencies and not the full spectrum.
You may need to be convincing, as a great many physicians dismiss high frequency hearing loss as much ado about nothing. Much of the medical community feels that high frequency hearing loss does not cause any major issues, and thus it does not need to be dealt with. Because of that, you must be your own advocate regarding the necessary test.
If the test shows him that you are having problems with hearing high frequencies, he can set you up with a hearing aid. By giving you a hearing aid, you will be able to mask out some of the phantom noises in the high frequency range. The reason this will happen is because your hearing will be restored in that range.
This will not take the tinnitus away, but it will give you a degree of comfort because the tinnitus sounds will become more muffled.
In addition, you can use a tinnitus mask with your hearing aid. This will also help with hearing related issues because it will mask out the tinnitus sounds by offering a distraction. When the sounds distract you, it increases the likelihood of adaptation. You will be able to put the ringing in your ears and other phantom sounds in the background. While this is not a perfect solution, it is very helpful.
There can be no denial about the link between tinnitus and hearing loss. It must be examined so people that suffer from hearing loss related tinnitus can get the help they need. Masking the symptoms can provide some relief which enables him to more effectively handle his symptoms.
