Tinnitus, often described as ringing in the ears, can be a debilitating condition. Thankfully there have been great strides in the development of management strategies. Our ability to miniaturize electronics has allowed hearing aid manufacturers to add exciting new Tinnitus features to their circuits.

Our current recommendation to provide tinnitus relief is tinnitus maskers. Maskers emit various sounds like ocean waves, white or pink noise that cover or “mask” a person’s perception of their tinnitus. In the past, maskers were standalone machines kept at home. They offered some relief when life is quiet, in the evenings and when trying to sleep, when tinnitus can be at its worst.

New technology incorporates these sounds into very small hearing aids. This allows tinnitus sufferers to get relief on the go, all day. Modern technology has gone one step further by incorporating smartphone connectivity. Smartphone apps allow a user to control what type of sounds they want to hear, providing the opportunity to manipulate the volume and pitch of their masking sound. For the first time, wearers of these hearing aids can set and control sounds for themselves, allowing for their own customized solutions.

Here are some educational links for more information about tinnitus.

Guide – Learning about Tinnitus

ATA – American Tinnitus Association

BTA – British Tinnitus Association

Smartphone Masker Control – Video

Notch Therapy