Hearing Aids for Tinnitus: How They Can Help

Tinnitus can be overwhelming to experience, but it’s not something you just have to accept. If a constant ringing, buzzing or hissing that no one else can hear sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In Bayfields’ UK survey of 1,000 people with hearing loss, three in four (74.3%) told us they live with tinnitus. Yet while over half (52.5%) are seeking or awaiting assessment for their hearing, only three in ten (29.4%) currently use hearing aids to treat their symptoms. We see a clear gap between need and support, and an opportunity for you to feel better, sooner.

This guide explains what tinnitus is, why it appears alongside hearing loss so often, and how hearing aids for tinnitus can genuinely help. You’ll also find practical steps for getting support and treatment, plus FAQs answered by our audiology team.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in one or both ears, without an external source. People describe it as ringing, buzzing, humming, whooshing, hissing, or even chirping. It can be constant or irregular, gentle or intrusive, and it often feels louder in quiet situations, like when you’re settling down for bed.

Common tinnitus symptoms

• Persistent or intermittent ringing, buzzing or hissing

• Hearing sounds that feel louder in silence

• Difficulty concentrating or relaxing

• Disrupted sleep and feeling tired during the day

How common is tinnitus?

While tinnitus can affect anyone, our survey shows that it’s more common in people who also experience hearing loss, with 74.3% of respondents reporting difficulties with both. The right hearing care can reduce the contrast between internal tinnitus and the outside world, which is why hearing aids and tinnitus management work so well together.

What causes tinnitus?

• Age-related or noise-induced hearing loss

• Earwax build-up, ear infections or blockages

• Certain medications

• Stress and poor sleep (both of which can make symptoms more intense)

The everyday impact

Tinnitus doesn't always happen in isolation, and there’s often a strong link with the common condition of hearing loss. Here are some of the issues people with hearing loss face most frequently in their day to day lives:

• 78.8% struggle to hear in noisy places like restaurants and pubs.

• 60.7% find group conversations hardest to follow.

• 51.3% struggle in public spaces (shops, stations, cafés).

• 41.9% find family gatherings challenging, and these are the moments that matter most.

The Link Between Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

When your level of hearing is reduced, the brain naturally receives less external input. In response, the auditory system may “turn up the volume,” making sounds that are generated internally (what you hear with tinnitus) more noticeable. That’s why increasing your sensitivity to external sounds can help your brain refocus, and why hearing aids for tinnitus are often so effective.

In daily life, a combination of reduced hearing and tinnitus also increases your listening effort. At Bayfields, we often meet people who feel left out, anxious, or exhausted in social settings due to their hearing loss. Our survey echoes this, with three-quarters of respondents saying they feel isolated or excluded at least sometimes in social situations; 65.9% have to ask people to repeat themselves frequently; 50.7% often find themselves misunderstanding speech, and 32.4% feel embarrassed as a result.

Living with tinnitus and hearing loss doesn’t have to be a constant struggle, and the right hearing solution can make the biggest difference.

How Do Hearing Aids Help with Tinnitus?

If you’re wondering “how do hearing aids help with tinnitus?”, here’s the short answer: they restore access to the sounds you actually want to hear, reduce listening strain, and often include tailored sound therapies to soften tinnitus in the background.

 1) Amplification naturally “masks” tinnitus

By increasing everyday environmental sounds (things like conversation, gentle background ambience, and birdsong), hearing aids reduce the contrast between silence and your tinnitus. Many people notice their tinnitus fade into the background within days to weeks of consistently using hearing aids.

2) Less listening effort, more mental clarity

Straining to hear can make your tinnitus feel louder. Clearer access to speech and other ambient sounds reduces your cognitive load, improving concentration and easing stress, which is another common tinnitus trigger.

 3) Psychological and social benefits

Better communication means better connection with the people in your life. Our clients often report an uplift in their mood, confidence, and sleep after using hearing aids to treat their tinnitus.

This also lines up with the findings of our survey, where 75.4% said hearing difficulties impact their day-to-day life, and 34.9% felt their relationships have been negatively affected due to hearing loss. With the right care and support, we have seen how these numbers can start to turn around.

4) NHS perspective

In UK care services, hearing aids are a well-recognised option when tinnitus is accompanied by hearing loss. They’re non-invasive, backed by evidence, and can be combined with other therapies if and when you need them.

In our survey, 49.6% of people had already sought professional support for their hearing loss, but 46.1% were planning to and hadn’t yet. If that’s you, you’re not behind, and you don’t have to wait for relief.

Special Features in the Best Hearing Aids for Tinnitus

Not all hearing aids are the same. The best hearing aids for tinnitus help to both relieve your symptoms and restore your hearing clarity.

Built-in tinnitus maskers

Many devices include soundscapes which you can listen to (white noise, pink noise, ocean waves, gentle chimes) and personalise to your tinnitus pitch and preferences.

Bluetooth for sound therapy and calm

Bluetooth streaming lets you play relaxation tracks, mindfulness sessions, and sound therapy apps straight to your hearing aids. This can be a discreet but powerful way to create comfort for yourself, whether at work, on the commute, or before bed.

Precision fitting by an audiologist

Your hearing, tinnitus, and lifestyle are all just as unique as you. At Bayfields, we measure your hearing across different sound frequencies, discuss when your tinnitus is worst, and programme your hearing aids to give you the right balance between speech clarity and soothing sound therapy. This level of personalisation is where hearing aids and tinnitus support really shines.

Our approach at Bayfields

We combine advanced hearing aid technology with coaching on sound therapy, adjusting to your hearing aids and improving sleep hygiene. This is because we know that every small lifestyle change (wearing your hearing aids consistently, making your evenings calmer, playing gentle background sound at night) can make a big difference to how your brain responds to tinnitus.

Who Benefits Most from Hearing Aids for Tinnitus?

• People with both tinnitus and hearing loss: This is the group most likely to feel a significant, sustained benefit from hearing aid treatment.

• Mild to moderate tinnitus: Even if your hearing loss is mild, amplification can help your brain stop “chasing” internal noise.

• People who struggle in noise or groups: You might experience difficulty in the same environments as our survey participants (noisy venues (78.8%), group conversations (60.7%), public spaces (51.3%)). Modern hearing aids include features like directionality and noise management that can help get you back to making the most of these moments.

When hearing aids aren’t enough 

If your hearing is mostly fine but you have intrusive tinnitus, we’ll focus more on sound therapy, sleep and stress management, and may suggest CBT or specialist tinnitus therapy programmes.

Hearing aids aren’t a one-size-fits-all cure, and they don’t need to be. The aim is for you to feel comfortable and in control, not to get rid of tinnitus at all costs.

The Process: Getting Hearing Aids for Tinnitus in the UK

Step 1: Assessment

A Bayfields audiologist will take a full case history, run a comprehensive hearing test, and discuss your experience with tinnitus (onset, pitch, loudness, triggers, when it’s most intrusive). We’ll also talk about the situations you find toughest so that your hearing solution helps in your everyday life, not just the test booth.

Step 2: Your options (NHS and Private)

• NHS: Hearing aids for tinnitus are free through the NHS for eligible patients. However, there are generally fewer models and custom tinnitus features to choose from.

• Private (Bayfields): Going private for your hearing aids gives you a wider choice of styles, technologies, and treatments. This includes sophisticated tinnitus programs and Bluetooth streaming. You’ll also benefit from flexible appointment times, aftercare with an experienced audiologist, and ongoing fine-tuning as your hearing adjusts.

Step 3: Fitting and fine-tuning

We programme the level of amplification, speech focus, and noise reduction to your hearing profile, then layer in tinnitus tools that suit your sound preferences. There’ll be a short settling-in period while your brain adapts, but most people notice helpful changes within a few weeks of fitting.

Step 4: Follow-up and support 

Tinnitus management is a journey, not a single appointment. You’ll have follow-ups to tweak sound levels, and we’ll share practical strategies for sleep, relaxation and dealing with noisy environments.

These follow-ups are essential for helping the 98% of people with hearing loss who struggle in noisy situations at least sometimes — and the 89.6% who told us they pretend to understand conversations to fit in. You don’t have to keep struggling on, and you certainly don’t have to do it alone.

Other Proven Tinnitus Management Strategies

Sound therapy

From bedside sound generators to curated playlists and apps, steady, soothing sound can help your brain tune down tinnitus. Your hearing aids can be the tool to make this process feel effortless, wherever you are.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT doesn’t change the sound itself, it just changes your response to it. You might find the distress you associate with tinnitus begin to soften once you’ve applied some CBT learnings. And when you’re calmer, tinnitus often feels quieter. 

Relaxation, sleep and lifestyle

Simple things like gentle exercise, breathing work, and consistent bedtime routines make a big difference when managing tinnitus. Keep your general noise exposure at a safe level (especially if you’re among the 39.1% who notice outdoor noise complicates hearing), and book a professional ear wax removal appointment if you’re struggling with blocked ears.

RNID and community support

National charities like the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) offer helplines, information and peer support for people experiencing tinnitus and other hearing-related symptoms. A friendly, practical chat and a sense and community can sometimes be just what you need when navigating a hearing health journey.

Tinnitus for Hearing Aids: Myths and Misconceptions

There are many misunderstandings about tinnitus and the role hearing aids can play in managing it. These myths can make it harder to make informed decisions about treatment and may even prevent people from seeking the help they need. Let’s separate fact from fiction and focus on what truly works for managing tinnitus:

1: “Hearing aids cure tinnitus”

Hearing aids don’t cure tinnitus, but they can reduce its impact by restoring sound, easing effort and providing therapy tools.

2: “Hearing aids are only for people with severe hearing loss.”

Even mild hearing loss can make tinnitus feel louder. Amplification through hearing aids can help earlier than you think.

3: “My tinnitus will vanish completely”

Fully getting rid of tinnitus can be tricky. But with the right hearing solution, tinnitus becomes much less intrusive and easier to ignore, which is the real goal.

4: “All hearing aids help equally.”

Hearing care is a personal thing, so it’s worth seeing a professional audiologist to find the right tinnitus solution for you. The best hearing aids for tinnitus feature customisable maskers and Bluetooth connectivity for therapy and relaxation.