Do Hearing Aids Help with Tinnitus? Real Users Sound Off

"It's about the only reason I put them on," says one tinnitus sufferer who wears hearing aids, while another says, “Actually, I find wearing my hearing aids makes it worse.”

For anyone seeking relief from that maddening, constant ringing in their ears called tinnitus, hearing aids offer one of the only available treatments. But do hearing aids really help?

Do People Really Report Hearing Aids Help Alleviate Tinnitus? Yes, No, and Maybe

Members of HearingTracker 's Facebook Hearing Aid and Hearing Loss Facebook Support Group responded to a post that read simply:

When considering the 118 usable responses (January 2025), about two-thirds (64%) of support group members reported that their hearing aids provided significant or even complete relief from their tinnitus:

• “Yes! Definitely. I didn’t understand how hearing aids could help, but I hear the sounds around me more clearly now and my brain focuses on that the majority of the time!”
• "Yes, until you take out the hearing aid.”
• “New to hearing aid, but yes it’s about the only reason I put them on.”

Many emphasized that their tinnitus didn't really go away, but it was instead "masked" or much less noticeable when wearing hearing aids. Others wanted to be clear that their tinnitus returned once they took off their hearing aids (e.g., when falling asleep, some use other tinnitus masking methods, like tinnitus noise generators on a timer, tinnitus apps, etc.).

However, it's important to note there were also some definitive "no" answers. Slightly less than one-third (28%) of support group members said their hearing aids had no effect on their tinnitus:

• “Nope, no change, it's still there, the same with or without HAs.”
• “I haven’t sensed any difference.”
• “Yes I have tinnitus and wear hearing aids. No they do not help at all.”

The other 8% were equivocal, saying hearing aids helped minimally or occasionally, or they'd found other better solutions for tinnitus relief:

• “Some days yes, some days no. Better than no help at all!!”
• “Not really, only if my HA is loud enough that it kinda cancels out.”
• “Some but not much. I find binaural beats work best for me, and my hearing aid is programmed to brown noise and universal.”

What Does the Science Say?

While there may be some biomarkers for tinnitus, there is no objective way to measure or test for it. This means researchers have to rely heavily on questionnaires and self-reporting. The American Academy of Otolaryngology's guidance for clinicians endorses using hearing aids for tinnitus management, particularly for those who have hearing loss.¹

The scientific literature² points to numerous different reasons why hearing aids might help people with tinnitus:

1. Auditory stimulation: Hearing aids amplify external sounds and reduce the perceptual contrast between tinnitus and environmental noise.
2. Neuroplastic adaptation: Continual auditory input from amplification can "retrain" the brain's neural circuits and reduce tinnitus perception.
3. Masking tinnitus: Sounds from hearing aids, including those masking noises specifically tailored for the individual's tinnitus, can reduce tinnitus perception.

Interestingly, a major analysis of various surveys of tinnitus patients closely mirrored HearingTracker’s support group member results. The study published in the International Journal of Audiology found that approximately 68% of tinnitus sufferers reported some level of relief when using hearing aids, while 14% reported no change in tinnitus distress.³

That conclusion is also supported by an earlier study published in The Hearing Review. It found that for most people, hearing aids are the best treatment for tinnitus: 27.8% reported moderate-to-substantial relief, 29% indicated their tinnitus was alleviated all the time, and 66% reported relief most of the time.⁴

Another study published in the International Tinnitus Journal showed that newer hearing aids with tinnitus management features offered better results than older models.⁵ Again, that tracks with some of HearingTracker's Facebook support group members’ responses:

• “My aids with a masking program help quite a bit —until I remove them for the night of course.”
• “Yes, it helps tremendously. Widex has Zen modes to train the brain to ignore it.”
• “Some hearing aids have blocked my tinnitus more than others. My original [Oticon Delta hearing aids] blocked it completely. Since then, I think all the others I’ve had have helped a bit. My Resounds have a tinnitus masker, which I never think to use. But my tinnitus has faded some over the years.”

Which Hearing Aid Brand Is Best for Tinnitus?

Every major hearing aid manufacturer now offers options for managing tinnitus. Typically, these are “masking programs” that generate sound that matches your tinnitus.

Masking can reduce the perception of tinnitus in much the same way that tinnitus sounds become louder in a quiet room but seemingly disappear into the background in a noisier room. Even the so-called “noise floor” of a hearing aid—the quietest sound a hearing aid makes when there is no external input—can sometimes help with the masking.

There is no clear, independent evidence to suggest that one brand is better at tinnitus remediation than another. It’s a matter of opinion and personal preference, as a look at HearingTracker's Tinnitus Forum reveals. Matthew Allsop, who is a private-practice audiologist in London and copes with tinnitus himself, has published a review of which hearing aids he likes best for tinnitus relief in his clinic.

How Long Does It Take for Hearing Aids to Help?

“If they are prescribed and fitted appropriately, hearing aids can provide some significant benefit in a very short period of time for those with less impactful tinnitus,” says audiologist Dr. Craig Kasper, AuD, managing director of New York Hearing Doctors, and a leading expert on tinnitus treatments.

Can Hearing Aids Make Tinnitus Worse?

“It’s possible,” says Dr. Kasper. “If a hearing aid is not fitted correctly and the upper limits of comfort are not measured, then we could be spiking their tinnitus because they are getting exposed to irritating sounds.

“It’s important that the person who is dispensing and fitting the devices have a good understanding of tinnitus—and the hows and the whys behind what they're doing.”

Are Hearing Aids the Only Way to Manage Tinnitus?

Dr. Kasper emphasizes that hearing aids are only one part of the solution. He points out that tinnitus is a complex disorder.

“It’s really a brain phenomenon,” he says. “It’s a symptom of changes that have occurred in the brain because of reduced input to the auditory cortex. And there are other areas of the brain that get involved—specifically, the emotional centers of the brain. And we know that the frontal cortex and some areas along the brain stem are also involved.

“So masking is not a long-term strategy [for people with acute tinnitus]. In traditional tinnitus therapy, hearing aids and sound generators use a broadband static sound at a level set so that the person barely hears their tinnitus floating in and out of background sounds. That, in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address the emotional side, has been very effective historically.”

In particular, CBT is an effective way to reduce the stress that can accompany chronic bothersome tinnitus. For people having trouble coping with tinnitus, this can sometimes mean a tinnitus therapy program or seeing other professionals who are more skilled in CBT than an audiologist.

Besides hearing aids, sound pillows, apps, and noise generators, other tinnitus treatment devices continue to emerge, like the FDA-cleared Neuromod Lenire. Other evidence-based devices and methods will become available in the future, but beware of the scams and so-called "cures" that abound on the internet.

Does Insurance Cover Tinnitus Treatments?

The short answer is no. Tinnitus treatments are almost never covered by private insurance companies. However, a few companies may offer hearing aid benefits that can cover hearing aids for tinnitus management, and the Veterans Administration (VA) does provide assistance for eligible service members. Most audiologists can help in navigating your insurance and the available government programs.

Medicare does not cover tinnitus treatment, but it does cover tinnitus assessment and evaluation. Some Medicare Advantage plans may also offer hearing care benefits.

Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, and it’s best to check to see what your state may offer.

Tinnitus and Its Treatment Still Need a Lot of Research

A cure for tinnitus is out of reach for now, and its causes remain a mystery. But Dr. Lawrence Lustig, Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Columbia University, offers a glimmer of hope.

Some of his patients suffered idiopathic sudden hearing loss. “Not only do these patients suddenly have no hearing, but many also have unbelievably loud tinnitus. When we put in a cochlear implant, every single patient, along with some degree of restored hearing, also got tinnitus suppression.” That supports the link between hearing loss and tinnitus.

“So, I feel that whatever we can do to restore normal hearing function in the future—including potential drugs or gene therapy—is ultimately going to be a solution for tinnitus,” says Dr. Lustig.

No Current Cure, but Many Effective Tinnitus Treatment Solutions

“For someone who is wearing hearing aids and has tinnitus, the most important thing is getting an appropriate fit with a clinician who’s performing the measurements that can verify that you’re fit properly,“ says Dr. Kasper. “Consistent use of hearing aids is critical for a whole variety of reasons, including speech understanding. And also, from a tinnitus perspective, we know that consistency matters. If you have them, use them.”

He emphasizes that hearing aids can be an important component of comprehensive therapies, including CBT, Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) and Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM). These treatments usually include behavioral counseling to help patients manage stress, depression, and anxiety caused by tinnitus.^6-8 There are also self-help and mindfulness-based tinnitus stress reduction treatments available.

While these therapies, along with hearing aids and other sound generators, are effective in managing tinnitus, a cure is out of reach—at least for now.

In the meantime, as most members of HearingTracker’s support group can attest, hearing aids offer some relief for tinnitus sufferers.  The best advice is to consult an audiologist or clinician to explore hearing aid options, as well as long-term management and therapeutic solutions.