My first visit to the VA audiologist, I was signed up for a class on how to cope with my ringing in my ears, what I learned from the class was what I had already been doing but it was great to have so many in that classroom to back my up on what was working for me.
So you ask what works for me. Never be in a quiet room where there is no sounds, and if that happens have something with you to mask the ringing in your ears, be it a Walkman with music playing or a sound machine in your bedroom, or a TV or radio station in the background. I worked in a phone support center and there was always people talking on the phones. I love to read and I read a lot, but when I read I have to have music or some kind of noise in the background, again just to mask the ringing in my ears. My ringing is so bad that my aids to not remove it, and I do not have aids that have anything in them to do so. I have always figured that if the aids was generating noise it would also be preventing me from hearing others talking to me. Also while I do not know it for a fact it just believe that the sound generation would kill the hearing aid batteries much faster.
I just wanted to add that I know there are some that cannot stand the ringing in their ears and that it drives them nuts. I guess I am lucky in the fact that I have learned to except it and to live with it. We all need to do what it takes for us to survive with the ringing in our ears.
I wish everyone the best of luck.