I can offer some advice regarding the ringing in the ears - based on my own experience. I have hearing aids for both ears, and, when they are working without any problems
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, the ringing actually goes away - even when I take them out. If I take the weekend off (from wearing them), the ringing will come back - after a few days.
Sound is noticably different in my left (AN) ear, than in my right. When I listen through a telephone - through my left ear - it sounds like someone is talking in the bottom of a tin can. And, it's not very legible. I was diagnosed as having nerve damage in both ears, but I am dependent on my right ear, as I hear more clearly through this ear. When I advised my last audiologist of my first experience with hearing loss - I was a passenger in a car, stopped at the stop sign, when someone (standing on the street corner) threw a stick of dynamite right on my lap). I panicked, and brushed the fizzy little thing (at the time I had no idea what it was, as it all happended so fast) right off my lap and onto the driver's lap (again, I panicked and knew I didn't even have time to think), just as the driver brushed it back off, right back onto my lap, and, at this point, I was able to think, so I brushed it off right onto the floor of the car, when all of a sudden, BOOOOM!! The entire car was completely engulfed in smoke, and I couldn't hear a damn thing - for hours. This happened in my late teens, as I am now 40 years old. My hearing came back several hours later. I don't recall have a daily problem (with hearing) in the years following that experience. I do; however, believe that incident caused my nerve damage in both ears. It was about six years ago that I found myself continually asking people 'what?', or 'huh?' on a daily basis. I believe the nerve damage slowly progressed over the years. And, I believe it bothered me (asking others to repeat) more than it did them (to repeat).
Hopefully you're reading this to the end, as I'm now finished beating around the bush
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and would like to advise you of an excellent recommendation I just received from my last audiologist - refrain from wearing the hearing aid in the left ear, and get the right ear turned up higher. Although the hearing aids have helped, I still cannot comprehend some words - when other's can. Since I always spoke on the telephone with my left ear, it seemed hard to 'think' when I began using my right ear. This only lasted several weeks - as I can't imagine going back to the left.
Hope this helps.