Technology & Tinnitus

The Royal National Institute for the Deaf

If you have tinnitus, there are different types of devices and apps that may be able to help.

Tinnitus is often described as ‘ringing in the ears’, but it’s the name for hearing any sound in your ears or head when there’s nothing outside your body that’s making that sound.

Devices and technology to help manage your tinnitus

If you have tinnitus, you may find the following devices helpful:

Tinnitus maskers

A portable tabletop device that plays a range of soothing sounds. Some can connect to headphones or speakers.

Tinnitus apps

There are a variety of sound relaxation apps available that may help with your tinnitus. You can play these on your smartphone or through headphones and speakers. There are free and paid apps available for Apple, Android and other smartphone models. You can buy and download these from your smartphone app store.

Sound pillows

A sound pillow is a speaker you can insert or put under a pillow. They can be helpful if you would like to listen to sounds to help you sleep. You can connect it to a tinnitus relaxer, your smartphone or any other device.

There are also many relaxing soundscapes and tinnitus related videos on YouTube that you may find helpful. You can play these on your smartphone or through headphones and speakers.

Price range

Devices for tinnitus can range from £5 for basic speakers to £70 for more advanced tinnitus maskers. You may be able to get help paying for technology from:

  • your local council’s sensory services team
  • your workplace, if you need technology to help you to work
  • the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) scheme, if you are in post-18 education.

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