Tinnitus

• Tinnitus Program Information
• Tinnitus Treatment Schedule and Usual Costs
• Frequently asked questions about tinnitus

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Tinnitus Program Information

The goal of the tinnitus program is to evaluate and help you habituate your tinnitus so it will no longer be a problem for you.

Initial appointment

The first appointment involves either a diagnostic Audiologic evaluation or review of your Audiologic evaluation if you have had one in the last 6 months. If test results indicate you are a candidate for the tinnitus program, then you will be provided initial counseling and we will set up your second visit. At this appointment you will find out about the various causes of tinnitus and the various options for tinnitus habituation. Should any medical questions arise from your hearing tests or on the case history you will be referred to follow up on those issues prior to beginning tinnitus habituation.

Second appointment

If you decide to go forward with tinnitus habituation at this appointment we will discuss the best options for you and create the habituation plan. The first step in habituation is to make it so your tinnitus is not the primary sound you hear. This might involve use of sound generators, hearing aids, environmental sound machines or a combination of these and other sound sources.

Third appointment

If ear-level devices have been decided on as part of your plan, those devices would be fit and you would be instructed in their care and use at this appointment.

Follow-up appointments

Are scheduled at your need.

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Tinnitus Treatment Schedule and Usual Costs

Initial Visit:
audiologic evaluation, tinnitus assessment, initial tinnitus counseling

1 hour

Second Visit:
Tinnitus treatment plan, counseling and perhaps order sound generators or amplifiers.

½ to 1 hour

Third Visit:
sound generator or amplifier fitting and training

1 hour

Cost depends on the type of instrument needed. Range: $1050.00 - $3000.00 per ear

Follow up visits:
as needed

½ to 1 hour

$80.00 to $160.00

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Frequently asked questions about tinnitus

What is tinnitus?
Any sound you perceive in your ears or head that is not generated outside your body. It can be a true ringing or any other type of sound.

What causes tinnitus?
Many, many things, that is one reason why it is so difficult to treat. Tinnitus may accompany a hearing loss, but not always. Some people have tinnitus and no hearing loss. Many people have hearing loss and no tinnitus. Causes range from allergies and too much aspirin to exposure to loud noises and stroke. I used to have a list of all the different associated causes of tinnitus up in my office and it went from ceiling to floor.

How can you treat tinnitus?
Not all tinnitus can be relieved by medical intervention or medical treatment. In fact, most tinnitus does not respond to treatment. The first step is a series of Audiologic tests to determine the possible etiologies of your tinnitus. If test results suggest improvement by medical intervention you will be referred on to an otologist.

If you can’t treat tinnitus how does one obtain relief from tinnitus?
Most patients find relief from one of a series of interventions or combinations of them. The goal is to train the subconscious parts of your brain to ignore the sound of your tinnitus. This is accomplished by:

• Masking the tinnitus
• Residual inhibition
• Habituation (as in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy; TRT)
• And counseling.

How is tinnitus masked?
The easy answer is “Never be in a situation where all you can hear is your tinnitus!” Many people find that they do not notice their tinnitus as much when there is another sound present. Masking the tinnitus can be as simple as turning on a small fan or having a CD of a brook playing in the background or can involve the use of hearing aids if you also have a hearing loss or ear-level sound generators if you do not have a hearing loss.

How long does the habituation of tinnitus take?
Typical treatments are 12-24 months. The goal is that you are no longer bothered by your tinnitus. 80-85% of the patients who begin TRT report significant improvement.

Are there any side effects?
Nope!

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