Treatment Options for Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present. Although it is commonly called “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus can manifest many different perceptions of sound, including buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing, and clicking. Tinnitus can be an acute (temporary) or chronic (ongoing) health malady. Millions of Americans experience tinnitus, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15% of the general public — over 50 million Americans — experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million have extreme and debilitating cases.

The Human Impact Of Tinnitus
Tinnitus can be a debilitating condition that negatively affects a patient’s overall health and social well-being. Although most people who suffer from tinnitus classify their tinnitus as non-bothersome, even moderate cases can interfere with one’s ability to work and socialize. People with tinnitus often experience depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, irritability, or poor concentration. Although there is no known cure for tinnitus, excellent, well-established tools and treatments can significantly reduce the perceived burden of tinnitus.

Treatment Options and Outcomes:
The primary objective for all currently-available tinnitus treatment options is to lower the perceived burden of tinnitus, allowing the patient to live a more comfortable, unencumbered, and content life. No two patients and no two tinnitus cases are alike. As such, the “best” treatment option is often contingent on an array of factors unique to each patient. Moreover, successful management of tinnitus may require overlapping layers of treatment. We have found Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) to be very effective when guided by an audiologist who is extensively trained and experienced working specifically with tinnitus patients. Our approach to tinnitus treatment centers around creating a personalized TRT plan specific to each individual.

What is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy?
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is a highly successful tinnitus treatment that involves the utilization of sound therapy and directive counseling to deal with the three systems
appropriately involved:

• The auditory system (hearing)
• The limbic system (emotions)
• The autonomic nervous system (flight or fight response)

Over the past five years of helping tinnitus sufferers, we have developed and refined our treatment protocols, evaluated countless new technology offerings, and invested in our equipment to provide the best outcomes in the industry. We have been able to provide life-changing results for hundreds of tinnitus patients, and we are confident we can help you too. Most practitioners will tell you to live with it, while many audiologists will only treat hearing loss. Thankfully, your frustration ends here

Take the First Step
The first and most crucial step to tinnitus relief is finding the right audiologist. Your doctor needs extensive training in tinnitus treatment and vast experience working with tinnitus patients. Without specialized training and real-world experience, a practitioner has no chance of providing their patient with a successful outcome. Dr. Spillman has years of expertise and has helped hundreds of patients achieve relief from their tinnitus symptoms over the past five years.

Tinnitus Treatment at Audiologists Northwest
Audiologists Northwest helps more tinnitus patients find relief with TRT than any other practice in Kitsap County and the greater Seattle area. How can we offer hope when so many claims there is no effective treatment for chronic tinnitus? It’s because we have the technology, experience, and compassion needed to reduce tinnitus’s impact on your life successfully. We believe in a multi-disciplinary approach for complex cases, such as involving experienced psychologists when needed to provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Other patients may require working with a patient’s primary care physician to rule out the involvement of other medical conditions and prescriptions, such as drugs for high blood pressure and antidepressants.

Evidence-Based Results
Nearly all doctors, audiology practices, and hearing aid dispensers claim to offer relief from tinnitus and only provide one solution: hearing aids. While amplification may help some, only 50% of tinnitus sufferers will benefit from hearing correction alone. At Audiologists Northwest, we promise to focus on your tinnitus, your medical history as it relates to your tinnitus, and the cause of it and offer only evidence-based solutions like Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT).

Additional Treatment Options

• Counseling: People living with tinnitus may experience anxiety, depression, and other psychiatric problems. As a result, along with our Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, we refer patients to psychiatrists or counselors as needed to change thoughts around tinnitus

• Medication: Some people develop anxiety, depression, or other strong emotional responses to tinnitus Certain medications can provide relief from these symptoms. Nutritional supplements can also relieve associated symptoms such as lack of sleep. Our audiologists work with patients’ physicians to make sure the medications they need are working towards your goal of finding relief and not against it

• Relaxation Stress can worsen the effects of tinnitus. Learning to relax can be very helpful if you experience frustration or anxiety from the noise in your ears. By relaxing, you are given a chance to rest and reset your nervous system. Your audiologist can review relaxation techniques that have helped other patients with similar experiences. Some may benefit from yoga, acupuncture biofeedback, and tinnitus support groups.

Take action TODAY to control your tinnitus and lessen its impact on your life.

WIDEX MOMENT™ NATURAL SOUND LIKE NO OTHER

Widex Zen Therapy is a form of sound therapy that utilizes a patented fractal technology (soft, calming chime-like tones played randomly). These tones are perceived just like music to the brain, providing the same stimulation and relaxation level. This technology also aids in alleviating the stress and anxiety associated with tinnitus. Over time, with consistent use, Widex Zen Therapy allows people to live their lives without the annoyance of tinnitus. To learn more about tinnitus or try Widex Zen Therapy call us today at 360-479-4065.

Even a great hearing aid has always sounded like a hearing aid – until now.

The revolutionary Widex Moment changes the game to deliver the purest, natural sound ever. Typically, sound processed in a hearing aid reaches the eardrum later than sound heard directly. And when these two ‘out of sync’ signals mix, you get an artificial sound. But now you can hear every moment – like you used to.

We call this new sound experience, PureSound™.   Learn More>>