Active Military, Veterans and Tinnitus

Tinnitus affects up to 30% of military veterans—approximately twice the rate seen in non-veterans.¹ It is also the most common service-connected disability among veterans.¹

Although the exact cause of tinnitus—the specific mechanism that generates phantom sounds in some people—remains unknown, audiologists have identified several major contributing factors and triggers. One of the most common is excessive exposure to loud noise, which is often a regular part of military service. Even a single exposure to extremely high noise levels can be enough to cause permanent subjective tinnitus, the most common form of the condition.

While there is currently no known cure for subjective tinnitus, there are treatment options that can alleviate the irritation and discomfort of the condition. Even without hearing loss, wearing hearing aids can be one of the most effective means of reducing irritation caused by tinnitus. 

With static presets, ocean wave tinnitus therapy signals, and our world’s first Notch Therapy, Signia hearing aids provide welcome relief for people living with tinnitus. Ask your Hearing Care Professional which solution is best for you.


Are your ears ringing?

Your world is alive with sound—laughter, unforgettable melodies, waves breaking on the shore. All these sounds enrich your life. At other times, all you want to hear is silence. So, what happens when one stubborn sound won’t allow you to enjoy peace and quiet anymore? 

Tinnitus can manifest as a ringing, buzzing, humming, or similar noise you hear even though there is no external source for the sound. While you may have been told there is no cure, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to find relief and restore your peace of mind. You can learn to live with tinnitus by discovering how to manage it—rather than letting it control you. 

If you hear annoying noise that never seems to go away, it can be distracting, unsettling, and increase stress or anxiety. Because only you can hear it, you might feel like no one understands what you’re going through. But this experience is very real. It’s called tinnitus, and it’s a more common condition than you might think. 
tinnitus-question

Finding relief

Although the exact cause of tinnitus—the specific mechanism that creates these phantom sounds in some people—remains unknown, several contributing factors and triggers have been identified. Excessive exposure to loud noise is a common factor, due to damage to the auditory system. Tinnitus may also result from jaw-joint dysfunction (such as teeth grinding or temporomandibular joint disorder) or chronic neck muscle strain. 

 
Tinnitus is identifiable.
Not knowing the exact cause of your tinnitus does not make your symptoms any less real. 

Brain scans show increased metabolic activity in the region of the left auditory cortex in people with tinnitus, suggesting that tinnitus is not exclusively related to the ear. 

Is your tinnitus a sign of an underlying illness?

For many wearers, tinnitus is more than an annoying condition—it may be a warning sign of an undiagnosed health issue. In some cases, tinnitus may be the cause; in others, a symptom. The following are examples of medical conditions associated with tinnitus. 

Meniere’s disease.

Ménière’s disease is characterized by a combination of symptoms that can include tinnitus, hearing loss, and episodes of dizziness or vertigo that may be debilitating. While the exact cause remains unknown and there is currently no cure, symptoms may be managed in some individuals by reducing salt intake, taking diuretics, and using anti-vertigo medications to control attacks. Hearing aids can be used to help treat associated hearing loss. 

Anxiety and depression.

For some people with tinnitus, the constant humming or ringing becomes overwhelming, disturbing sleep and disrupting daily life. The persistent noise can trigger negative emotional and behavioral responses, making it difficult to focus on anything else. For example, if tinnitus increases stress, you may begin to withdraw from social activities. Acute anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and related conditions can result. These may be eased through therapy, appropriate medications, and coping strategies. Hearing aids with tinnitus therapy features can also help by shifting attention toward external sounds and may provide relief even for those without hearing loss. 

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD).

TMD occurs when the jaw, jaw joint, and surrounding muscles used for chewing, speaking, and movement do not function properly. In addition to tinnitus, symptoms may include toothaches, facial pain, headaches, dizziness, and hearing problems. Causes may include whiplash injuries, nighttime teeth grinding, arthritis, or other factors that are sometimes difficult to pinpoint. Treatment options may include: 

– Wearing a mouthpiece at night

– Dental correction

– Injection of medications into the affected areas

– Laser therapy

– Surgery

Taking control of tinnitus.

As you search for a solution, it’s important to remember that tinnitus is not an illness, but a symptom—similar to pain. The goal is to find relief from this symptom. Even when no specific cause is identified, tinnitus can still be treated. There are many ways to cope with tinnitus, including making changes to habits and attitudes so it no longer controls your everyday life. The term tinnitus management refers to a range of approaches designed to help you adopt a healthier relationship with tinnitus.

Cognitive-behavioral tinnitus training, for example, has shown promising results. Your personal mindset and emotional responses play a key role in this method. Training sessions with varied content are designed to promote self-help and empowerment. They focus on targeted education, behavioral analysis, practical exercises, and positive experiences. Cognitive-behavioral tinnitus training commonly addresses the following areas: 

Learning more

– Understanding tinnitus symptoms
– Why it’s important  not to focus on tinnitus

– The role emotions and stress play in tinnitus

Changing habits

– Learning relaxation techniques

– Practicing guided imagery or imaginary journeys to elicit positive emotions

– Transforming negative thoughts and attitudes into a helpful “I can manage tinnitus” mindset
– Eliminating habits that may worsen tinnitus, such as withdrawing from friends or avoiding activities

– Knowing what to do if tinnitus becomes more noticeable again 

Relearning hearing

– Acoustic stimulation and training using hearing aids, tinnitus therapy features, combination devices, or other audio sources

Because tinnitus is typically a symptom of an underlying condition—such as sensorineural hearing loss or a circulatory disorder—it may improve when the root cause is successfully treated. 

Some tinnitus treatment options include: 
–  Reducing dosages of medications known to contribute to tinnitus (or discontinuing them, when possible, under medical guidance) 
–  Having excessive earwax safely removed by a Hearing Care Professional 
–  Sleeping with a white noise generator or sound machine to help counter ringing or buzzing 
–  Taking medications to help alleviate stress and anxiety associated with tinnitus 

However, for millions of people, the condition causing tinnitus cannot be identified or is not curable. In these cases, treating the symptoms directly or learning strategies to live with the sound may be the most effective approach. 

The following tips can help you find relief from tinnitus:

Relearn how to hear. The more varied sounds you experience, the less attention you give to tinnitus. Make a conscious effort to listen to the world around you. 

 Prioritize restorative sleep. Staying active during the day can make it easier to sleep at night. Because many factors affect sleep quality, experiment to discover which habits improve your rest. 

 Keep moving. Spending time with loved ones and participating in enjoyable activities can improve your mood and reduce tinnitus’ impact on your life. 

Avoid silence. Minimizing time in complete silence makes it harder for tinnitus to stand out. Relax with pleasant background sounds such as audiobooks or soothing music. 

Stay fit. Regular physical activity supports overall health. Even if tinnitus seems more noticeable during exercise, reduced stress levels and the release of endorphins can lessen negative reactions to the sound. 

Practice effective relaxation. Tinnitus can create tension, so learning and regularly using relaxation techniques—such as meditation, Feldenkrais, yoga, tai chi, or qi gong—can be beneficial. 

Many people with tinnitus benefit from wearing hearing aids. 

Hearing aids can make it easier to focus on external sounds instead of constantly concentrating on internal noise. Learn more about how hearing aids can help alleviate tinnitus symptoms. 

A tinnitus therapy signal can provide relief 

In addition to amplifying the sounds around you, most Signia hearing aids include a tinnitus therapy feature. How does this work? 

In very quiet environments, traditional hearing aids may not have enough external sound to amplify and distract you from tinnitus. This is where tinnitus therapy features can help. By emitting a customized therapy signal—such as a soothing sound like ocean waves—these signals gently shift your attention away from the ringing in your ears. 

Signia hearing aids are equipped with multiple therapy signal options, including four nature-inspired ocean wave signals and five pre-programmed static sounds (such as white noise). These customized solutions help reduce focus on tinnitus, allowing you to relax and enjoy the world around you again. 

 

Find your ideal solution for tinnitus.

Signia hearing aids offer a wide range of setting options for tinnitus therapy. Your Hearing Care Professional will help determine the best configuration for your individual needs. Even if you do not have hearing loss, Signia hearing aids can be adjusted to provide tinnitus relief without amplification. 

 

Examples of available options include: 
 – A dedicated therapy signal generator 
– Two programmable modes: tinnitus therapy only or mixed mode (amplification plus therapy) 
– Four nature-inspired ocean wave therapy signals 
– Five pre-programmed static therapy signals: white noise, pink noise, speech noise, brown noise, and high-tone noise 
– Static therapy signals customizable across up to 20 frequency bands 

Stay tuned. There are many effective ways to manage tinnitus today. All Signia hearing aids offer tinnitus therapy features. Learn more about our comprehensive solutions for hearing loss and tinnitus.

Signia Notch Therapy

Notch Therapy is clinically proven to reduce the annoyance of tinnitus so you can enjoy the sounds of your environment again. 
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¹ Schmidt CJ, Kerns RD, Finkel S, Michaelides E, Henry JA. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Veterans With Tinnitus. Fed Pract. 2018 Aug;35(8):36-46. PMID: 30766380; PMCID: PMC6263445.

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