Are Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Connected?

Tinnitus is a symptom that can have a variety of causes, rather than being a specific condition in and of itself. As such, there is a range of causing and contributing factors and many may be curious as to whether having tinnitus is also linked to any hearing loss they experience or may potentially be diagnosed with. Here, we’re going to look more closely at the link between tinnitus and hearing loss and what you can do to address both.

Linking Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

There is an undeniable link between hearing loss and tinnitus, in general. While it does not account for everyone, most cases of tinnitus can be traced back to issues related to an individual’s hearing health. In fact, over 66% of all people who experience tinnitus are also diagnosed with some degree of hearing loss at some point. Both tinnitus and hearing loss can be caused by some of the same factors. For instance, age-related deterioration of the hair cells in the inner can lead to both. In particular, exposure to loud noise is considered a very high risk of both hearing loss and tinnitus in the short-term or the long term. There are also other hearing health-related conditions that can present symptoms of both tinnitus and hearing loss, such as blockages in the ear, like earwax, fluid buildups or ear infections. Vertigo can also be linked to tinnitus. Due to the fact that tinnitus is so often linked to other ear and hearing health conditions, it’s recommended that you visit your hearing health professional to diagnose and treat how they can. There are non-hearing health and non-hearing loss-related causes and contributing factors to tinnitus, too. This can include certain medications, stress, anxiety and lifestyle factors that may cause changes in blood flow.

How will your hearing health professional help?

Your hearing health professional can help treat your tinnitus in two general approaches: treating what underlying conditions might be causing the tinnitus and offering relief from the symptom of tinnitus itself. The first can involve all manner of treatments depending on what the underlying causes might be. For instance, removing an earwax blockage, treating hearing loss with a hearing aid and recommending lifestyle changes like cutting out smoking and alcohol can all help. Otherwise, a hearing health professional can help by recommending treatments that can help improve the quality of life by reducing your experience of tinnitus. This can include using hearing aids with sound masking features or sound machines that help drown out or otherwise make the sounds of tinnitus less noticeable. Tinnitus retraining therapy involves using these technologies, but also techniques like deep breathing and stress management to help relieve the emotional health side-effects often associated with tinnitus. Whether you’re experience tinnitus, suspect you might have hearing loss, or are experiencing both at the same time, you should get in touch with your local hearing health professional today. From hearing tests to tinnitus retraining therapy, they can offer the help that you need.