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The Effectiveness of Hearing Aids on Tinnitus Management for Hearing-Impaired Listeners with Tinnitus

Purpose: Hearing aids are often prescribed for listeners who have hearing loss with tinnitus. This study investigated the effectiveness of hearing aids when managing tinnitus using Tinnitus Magnitude Index (TMI). Methods: A total of 50 new hearing aid users with tinnitus participated as the experimental group. As the control group, 26 non-hearing aid users with tinnitus also attended. Both groups had similar audiometric thresholds, age ranges, and tinnitus duration. To measure the effectiveness of hearing aids for managing tinnitus, the TMI was assessed at a pre-hearing aid fitting and then two weeks after that fitting. In the control group, TMI was measured at the twoweek interval, but without any tinnitus management. Results: TMI scores were significantly different at the pre-hearing aid fitting and the post-hearing aid fitting for the experimental group. However, in the control group, TMI scores were not significantly changed within two weeks. Further, 86% of new hearing aid users reported a subjective benefit for their tinnitus after using their hearing aids. Conclusion: Hearing aids can be a practical option for managing tinnitus for hearing impaired listeners with tinnitus.