Treatment of Tinnitus with Bilateral Moderate Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Primary Treatment: Bilateral Hearing Aids

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation strongly recommends counseling patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus about audiologic rehabilitation, with hearing aids as the cornerstone of management 1, 2
Bilateral hearing aids provide significant tinnitus relief by improving quality of life and reducing psychosocial burden in patients with bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss 1, 2
The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends that patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus be fitted with bilateral hearing aids as the primary treatment, which will address both the hearing loss and provide significant tinnitus relief 1, 2

The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) measures functional, emotional, and catastrophic domains of tinnitus impact, and is recommended by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation for use in patients with tinnitus 1, 2
The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) assesses hearing-related quality of life impact, and is recommended by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation for use in patients with hearing loss 1, 2

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends that patients with bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus be counseled on realistic expectations, including the fact that hearing aids will improve both hearing and tinnitus, but tinnitus may not completely resolve 1
The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends that patients with bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus be referred to support groups, such as the Hearing Loss Association of America, for adjustment counseling 1, 4

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends formal evaluation at 3-6 months to determine if communication goals are met and hearing-related quality of life has improved 5
The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends annual audiometry to monitor for progression of hearing loss 5

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends considering upgrade to hearing aids with built-in maskers or hearing assistive technology systems if standard bilateral hearing aids do not provide adequate tinnitus relief 1, 4
The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends considering cochlear implantation for severe-to-profound hearing loss with persistent tinnitus, as 96% of patients report tinnitus improvement post-implantation 2, 4