How Hearing Aids Can Help You Notice Tinnitus Less

If you live with a steady ringing, buzzing or whooshing in your ears, you know how much attention that sound can demand, especially in a quiet room at the end of the day. For many people, tinnitus shows up alongside hearing loss, and that connection is one reason hearing aids can make tinnitus less noticeable for some patients. At Hearing Doctors of the Heartland, our team helps patients sort out which options make sense for their ears and their daily lives.

Why Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Often Go Together

Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an outside source. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, tinnitus affects an estimated 10% to 15% of adults, and for some people it seriously affects sleep, mood and daily functioning.

Hearing loss and tinnitus share many of the same roots, including age-related changes in the inner ear and long-term noise exposure. That second cause is a real concern in west central Illinois, where years around grain dryers, tractors, livestock equipment and factory machinery can take a toll on the ears. One widely discussed explanation is that when the ear sends the brain less sound information, the brain's auditory system may become more active on its own, and some people perceive that activity as ringing or buzzing. Researchers are still studying exactly how this works.

How Everyday Sound Can Make Ringing Less Noticeable

When hearing loss quiets the world around you, tinnitus has less competition. The hum of the refrigerator and the murmur of conversation grow faint, which can leave the ringing as the loudest thing you hear.

Hearing aids bring those everyday sounds back into the mix. With more of your surroundings reaching the brain, the tinnitus may fade into the background for some patients. Many modern hearing aids from leading manufacturers also include customizable tinnitus features that play soft, soothing sounds while treating hearing loss at the same time.

Results vary from person to person. Some patients find their tinnitus much less bothersome during the day, others notice a modest change, and some notice little difference. Hearing aids are a tool for managing tinnitus over time, so we talk through realistic expectations before making any recommendation.

Where Lenire Fits In

For some patients, hearing aids alone don't provide enough relief. Hearing Doctors of the Heartland offers Lenire, the first bimodal neuromodulation device approved by the FDA to treat tinnitus, through the De Novo process in 2023. Lenire pairs mild, painless electrical pulses delivered to the tongue with sounds played through headphones. A typical treatment plan involves about 60 minutes of use per day at home, often split into two 30-minute sessions, over about 12 weeks.

Clinical studies have shown meaningful reductions in tinnitus symptoms for many users, although Lenire doesn't claim to eliminate tinnitus completely. Lenire assessments are currently offered at our Ankeny clinic in Iowa, where our certified providers completed training to administer the therapy. Our Galesburg team can help Illinois patients decide whether a Lenire assessment is worth exploring.

Choosing Between Hearing Aids, Lenire or Both

Every plan starts with a comprehensive hearing evaluation. Along with testing your hearing, we talk about your tinnitus, when it bothers you most and how it affects your sleep, focus and mood.

From there, our hearing healthcare providers weigh several factors:

• Your hearing results. If testing shows hearing loss, hearing aids are often a natural first step, since they can help with communication and tinnitus at once.
• How much the tinnitus disrupts your day. Patients whose tinnitus remains persistent and bothersome may be candidates for a Lenire assessment.
• Your goals and routine. Some patients benefit from a combination of approaches, which can include hearing aids, Lenire, sound therapy and counseling.
• Signs that need medical attention. Some forms of tinnitus call for a referral, and we'll guide you to the right care when that's the case.

Dr. Jessica Dimmick, the owner of Hearing Doctors of Iowa and Hearing Doctors of Illinois and a Doctor of Audiology, built the practice around patient education. Her clinical work has long focused on evaluating hearing loss and tinnitus, including for Veterans, and she believes patients make the best decisions when they understand how their ears work and how a treatment plan will help them.

Tinnitus Care in Galesburg, Macomb and Quincy

Our Galesburg clinic is located inside the Graham Medical Group Center for Ambulatory Care at 2028 N. Seminary Street (North Entrance), and we welcome patients from Galesburg, Knoxville, Abingdon, Monmouth and nearby communities. Hearing Doctors of Illinois also has clinics in Macomb and Quincy.

If ringing in your ears has been demanding your attention, call our Galesburg office at (309) 342-5166 to schedule a hearing evaluation and talk through whether hearing aids, Lenire or both could help.