| Approximately 15% of the population experiences | | | | conversations or dialogue |
| chronic or persistent tinnitus which manifests as ringing | | | | - Can lead to poor job performance |
| in the ears or noises in the head. And it is believed | | | | This list of side effects can also be attributed to |
| that around 90% of those with tinnitus also experience | | | | someone suffering from tinnitus. |
| some degree of hearing loss too. | | | | So the individual with both untreated tinnitus and |
| Surprisingly, despite the fact that such a high number | | | | untreated hearing loss would be expected to suffer an |
| of people suffer with both conditions, and the obvious | | | | even more diminished quality of life than those with |
| impact of this on the sufferer, only a small number of | | | | only tinnitus or only hearing loss. |
| people consult with their Doctor or hearing care | | | | So for those with hearing loss, hearing aids should |
| professionals for help. | | | | obviously improve their hearing and communication. But |
| One main side effect associated with the commonly | | | | many do not appreciate that hearing aids can also |
| held misconception that tinnitus cannot be helped is that | | | | improve tinnitus |
| people, in addition to not seeking help for their tinnitus, | | | | The medical explanation of how this works is; "In the |
| also do not seek help for their hearing problems. | | | | presence of hearing loss, the fitting of hearing aids |
| In a large-scale survey of the hearing-impaired | | | | activates the auditory cortex. Thus, sounds amplified |
| population who had neglected their hearing loss, 39% | | | | by hearing aids may interfere with the central auditory |
| indicated they had not sought help for their hearing loss | | | | representation of tinnitus". |
| specifically because they had tinnitus at the same time. | | | | In layman's terms, the hearing aids could be looked |
| Untreated this loss negatively affects nearly every | | | | upon as therapy for the ears because the tinnitus |
| area of the sufferer's life: | | | | that was previously conspicuous in the foreground is |
| - Irritability, negativity and anger | | | | relegated appropriately to the background with all other |
| - Tension, stress, and depression | | | | environmental sounds. |
| - Avoidance or withdrawal from social situations | | | | Therefore the very act of wearing hearing aids and |
| - Social rejection and loneliness | | | | thereby taking the focus off tinnitus means relief for |
| - Loss of concentration and the ability to follow | | | | many people. |