Tinnitus

IF YOU SUFFER FROM TINNITUS (RINGING IN YOUR EARS) YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR A NEW TREATMENT THERAPY.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears or head when no actual sound is present. The word "tinnitus" derives from Latin and means "to tinkle or to ring like a bell." For some, tinnitus may be intermittent and mildly distracting but for many the sound is continuous, 24 hours a day, and causes great discomfort.

Consider these questions:

Does my tinnitus interfere with my sleep?
Does my tinnitus make it hard for me to relax?
Does my tinnitus lead me to avoid noisy situations?
Does my tinnitus make it hard for me to concentrate?
Does my tinnitus "drive me crazy"?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions then tinnitus is seriously interfering with your quality of life. While there are still no cures we are pleased to inform you about new, FDA-cleared medical devices and other established tinnitus treatments which provide long-term benefit for the treatment of tinnitus and are now offered in our clinic. If you suffer from tinnitus, you may be a candidate for these treatments.

Tinnitus affects 20% of the US population; with 1-2% of these people severely affected. When tinnitus is severe, the results can be devastating – its interference with sleep and concentration causes stress, and interferes with work and relationships, often leading sufferers to a feeling of loss of control over their lives and putting a severe restriction on the tinnitus sufferer's quality of life. In some cases an individual’s work performance may be affected and could lead to the abnormal use of leave-time or sick days as well as decreased motivation and productivity in the workplace.

Tinnitus treatment always begins with a comprehensive tinnitus evaluation. This full assessment averages two hours in duration and will identify your specific needs. Assessments are usually covered by insurance plans, but as always check with your specific insurance provider for your actual benefits. Click left on INSURANCE for a listing of the insurance companies we accept. To schedule an appointment for a tinnitus evaluation click left on CONTACT US for office information.

The vast majority of tinnitus sufferers also experience hearing loss. Frequently the use of amplification provides an acoustically enriched environment which relieves tinnitus. The comprehensive tinnitus evaluation will determine if you fall into this category. Note that the standard hearing test, which only tests through 8000 Hz may not detect the higher frequency loss many tinnitus patients have. If this is your condition than the Widex Mind hearing aid may be one of your options. The Mind is a state of the art device that delivers a world class hearing aid experience and also incorporates the innovative Widex Zen program. At its basic level Zen can, at user discretion, provide relaxation by playing harmonic fractal tones through the hearing aid's receiver. However in the hands of the skilled practitioner the zen program can be used as part of a successful tinnitus treatment. For many sufferers some relief is immediate; for some just having the enhanced acoustic environment offers substantial relief. For others, with continued use of tools such as this, as the user habituates through the sound therapy, the effects of tinnitus are further mitigated to provide longer term relief with decreased tinnitus reaction levels.

In addition other devices such as maskers (perhaps more appropriately referred to as "minglers"), in combination devices or stand-alone, also offer promise in tinnitus relief using the well known Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT).

The Neuromonics tinnitus treatment has been proven and validated over the last 14 years treating thousands of tinnitus sufferers worldwide and is now available in the U.S. Clinical research shows that the treatment is successful in over 90% of patients.

The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment is a customized medical device that matches your hearing and tinnitus profile and treats the cause of tinnitus versus the symptom of tinnitus (ringing in the ears), this is how and why the treatment provides a long-term benefit to tinnitus suffers.

This is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment that is convenient to use and takes place in your own environment for about 2-4 hours per day without disrupting your lifestyle. The treatment usually takes place over a six month period. There is immediate relief (typically within 0-2 weeks of starting treatment) and the tinnitus disturbance continues to improve throughout the treatment and provides long-term benefit.

The tinnitus treatment for you is determined at the time of evaluation.