Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Is Ineffective, Latest Study Finds

One possible reason why TRT may have been thought of as having been" ineffective" is that although the TRT protocol follows a strict ruleset, it also takes into account that no two people will respond in an identical manner to the treatment, let alone their perception of tinnitus. People have different personalities, different lifestyles, different responses to tinnitus, and indeed the tinnitus sound is as unique as the individual experiencing it.

There are so many variables involved with tinnitus that it would be pretty difficult, if not impossible to develop a standardized double blind placebo experiment protocol, the same criteria could equally apply to CBT, both approaches can only be tentatively valuated scientifically, indeed TRT and CBT have many features in common with each other in the way that they work. They do not cure the problem they are addressing, their purpose in both cases is to change how the patient perceives the bothersome problem.

This is also called re-framing (something that will be familiar to anyone who has looked at Neuro Linguistic Programming, which is also a behavioural modification therapy of sorts).

 

The audiologist at the medical college of Wisconsin told me not to use formal sound therapy and just instead gave me a free plan to use (sounds on apps for a few hours a day for a couple month). She also told me that in time the noise will just be something I'd get used to and learn to ignore most of the time. That is what happened. I am not sure it's different with those with hearing loss (I have normal hearing).

 

You know damn well your tinnitus was caused by hearing damage.

Google hidden hearing loss, thank me later.

 

In some regards I think your Audiologist gave you good advice, having looked through the TRT book critically, it does look more and more like an overpriced, very long, sales pitch (or am I just being too cynical?). if you pay shed loads of money, and are repeatedly fed material to support a given idea until you believe it at a subconscious level, then in that respect it "works" to a degree.

Having read around the subject it does appear there is a significant drop rate for TRT, in the end analysis though, if it works for some people and does no additional harm, then I'm OK with that, it does have a lot of correlations with CBT (as I mentioned in a post or so back).

Personally I think it is only viable in fairly severe cases of tinnitus or hyperacusis, and if you can afford the fees AND have the degree of perseverance to follow through with the full protocol.

 

I wonder if Jastreboff wants to be laid to rest with his first edition original copy of the Jastreboff model across his chest...?

I can see the headline already - BREAKING NEWS!!! JASTREBOFF DEAD

 

I am currently undergoing TRT. My practitioner / clinician whatever you prefer to use is the best in the field, world renowned. I’ve been using TRT for approx 6 months. I have proper setting, etc. Again my practitioner is the best. Trust me when I say it. The generators are torturous. The broadband noise is hideous. Listening to pink noise for 8 hours a day is maddening. The sounds you hear after wearing them all day are indescribable. There’s a heightened level of anxiety with taking them off knowing you will have to listen to high pitch whistles and static mixed with your ring all night. Counseling from the best was no more than a 1 hour session thumbing through diagrams of the brain. You say well did they not mention CBT, nope. I was told they would blend in. It never happened. After that you are on your own. I have no hearing loss. My hearing may be too good. I have hyperacusis and tinnitus. I can see why JAMA published an article that stated in part that white noise can negatively affect the brain. I am seriously considering to discontinue using them. Of course I could stop and my practitioner would never know because they never check on you. God Bless. Peace.

 

Wow.

How long does it take you to make a decision in the drive-thru?

After 6 months of torture and you have no results, and there is no practitioner better, what are you waiting for?

 

Wow. Just. Wow.

 

In all fairness I must provide an update. I have not worn generators for 14 days. In that time, my tinnitus is significantly lower and on some nights not detectable. Now, is it because of wearing generators for 6 months or is it the brain habituating on its own. Tough call. One thing that has not gotten better is the echo I hear when I talk particularly in the evening. But to be fair the tinnitus is not noticeable.

 

Jazzer, your story really pulled on my heart. I live for music of all genres. My wife and I lives centered around listening to good music. Now, like you I have cried on her shoulder because those days seem so unattainable. It hurts to the core. I also cannot play my Taylor acoustic guitar anymore. I am sorry for your struggle and I pray one day soon we can continue to enjoy the sound of music in the arms of our wives.

On another note, my ring is noticeable after stopping TRT. Wasted several grand to end up right where I started. Compliments of Jastreboff.

 

My dear friend Christopher,
thank you so much for replying to me with such beautiful understanding, and comforting words.
I picture you both holding on to each other with love and empathy - and tears.
Was there ever such a vile and hateful predicament?
I don’t believe so.
Keep in touch if you feel it’s relevant.

My deep love to you both,
Thinking of you right now,

Dave xx
Jazzer

 

My Audiologist never mentioned Tinnitus Retraining Therapy for me. It looks like a pseudo-science anyway. First off, what is being 'retrained', the tinnitus? Tinnitus can be trained and then trained again, like refried beans are fried and refried? I am confused. Is this like Lenire?

 

TRT resembles a mental traineeship where the patient learns to respond differently to tinnitus: not with fear, but with "disinterest" of sorts in the end. It has nothing to do with Lenire.

The core principles of TRT can be helpful to some, but practice shows that they don't apply to everyone.

 

I hated the TRT which I started following with lots of hope in 2002. I remember it was two doctors out of John Hopkins that moved on to Emory. As I remember one of the two had a picture of himself next to a big boat. At that time I was prescribed valuium/diazepam for my tinnitus when it got real bad. I emailed one of the two docs and was told something like, "Oh no, don't use that, you won't adjust." So I stopped using it. After several months I was a "nut case" and felt like a piece of luggage. So am I happy to hear the TRT is baloney (my interpretation)? Yeah. Hate to say it, and I'm sorry to offend anybody. But, boy, my intro to the whole thing was not good.

 

My tinnitus and hyperacusis are caused by a sound generator (PA). Whenever they present me a device to habituate or to 'cure' my tinnitus or hyperacusis, I refuse.

 

When one sees what is required to research central auditory system plasticity... well, it's easy to see what a joke TRT is:

Post-doctorate position for studying central auditory system plasticity after hearing loss

We are looking for a candidate with experience in:

• central electrophysiology with arrays of micro-electrodes
• and/or strong background in neurophysiology and audition
• and/or strong background in signal processing, information theory and computational neuroscience
• excellent programming skills in Matlab and/or Python are also highly desirable

https://academicpositions.es/ad/aix...y-system-plasticity-after-hearing-loss/121326

I just got a book on neurophysiology (Neurophysiology, a conceptual approach, by Carpenter and Reddi) and don't really understand the formulas... seems very complicated.