If you suffer from tinnitus (sounds like wheezing, buzzing or ringing produced by your ear), your ENT doctor (1) can refer you to a hearing care professional if necessary. There are different types of hearing aids that can reduce discomfort. If you can hear well, your prosthesis will not be used to amplify sounds but to diffuse what are called white sounds. These are background noises that will reduce the perception of tinnitus by masking them. An improvement is noticed after several months. The downside is the price: around € 1,000 per prosthesis, not reimbursed by Social Security.
When hearing drops, tinnitus can also appear. In this case, a conventional hearing aid will improve your hearing and at the same time attenuate or even eliminate these unpleasant and irritating sounds. The everyday noises will indeed come to mask the buzzing. In three weeks, tinnitus can be forgotten but on condition of wearing the prosthesis permanently. The price range is wide. It all depends on the device and the microchip you choose. You can be partially reimbursed by Social Security once your doctor has issued a prescription (for more information, consult the Health Insurance website at the following address: www.ameli.fr).
(1) As a first step, consult your general practitioner. This will first check that your tinnitus is not coming from a stupid cause such as a plug of earwax. He will measure your blood pressure and have a blood test done if necessary. He may refer you to an ENT for more specific examinations. The latter will then possibly refer you to a hearing aid professional.
To find out more about tinnitus with EurekaSanté, the general public medical site published by VIDAL.
