Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

We're analysing our survey results at the moment, thought I should paste here a really interesting finding related to TRT.

This isn't necessarily conclusive, although it does seem to show little difference in buying your own WNG's versus booking a course of TRT. It's only an internet opinion survey but with the absence of robust trials around TRT it's almost as good as we have:

 

Hii guys .
OK , next week I'm about to go again to my ENT doctor after doing hearing test .
There was no change since the last time I did it , but still, my hearing loss is pretty bad for someone my age . I'm 21.
The hearing loss is not so bad on my opinion ca use I'm doing OK, but the numbers itself are not the most good.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure my doctor will tell me to get hearing aids to reduce the T , but I don't want that cause as I said I'm doing OK and its emberessing were hearing aid at 21.

Another option I found is a company that is foucusing in the T and they have devices that I'd like hearing aid , but the peruse is retraining the brain , it may take even a year to get better but still, it's temperrerly .. and I need to put it only few hours in a day.
But its very expensive and if I want it I pretty much put all my saving on this . It can be around 1,500$-2,500$ for one device . And I will need probebly 2 .

Is this worth it ?. And do the sounds of this retraining aren't bother during the day ? cause this mean hearing not only my T but also another sounds..
What di you guys say ?
Thanks .

 

I had a recent onset of severe tinnitus that is very loud. I am wondering if TRT can help. I have gathered that the counseling part is mainly teaching you to ignore it. But I can never escape the T, even in the shower. I am desperate and contemplate suicide on a daily basis. I can't live like this. Any extreme LOUD tinnitus sufferers out there that barely make it thru each day? Does TRT worth for such extreme cases?

 

Before you try anything wait 3 months, yours can be "spike" and go away!!

 

Aussie, I had moderate T for 10 years and managed just fine. Now my tinnitus so very loud to the point that I require benzos and alcohol to get through each day. I cannot mask it with earbuds+white noise without risking further hearing damage (I need to turn it very loud). Showers, vacuum, etc. do not mask it either. And if I don't medicate, I simply am too consumed with suicidal thoughts. For me a week feels like a month. I am not being dramatic or fishing for sympathy. This is my life now. I don't know what to do. I have NEVER seriously contemplated suicide before until now. I'm really scared.

Are their spikes that last three months? If so, what causes them?

 

@albertf50 do you know what caused your spike ? surely there must be a reason

 

@Bobby B I honestly don't know. I went to a concert two weeks before the spike. That is all I can really think of. I did go to a lot of concerts in the last year, but everything was always okay. I do have a root canal where the crown came off exposing the amalgam for over a year, but I don't think it is that. I stopped drinking alcohol for a week after drinking heavy for a few years. But I started back up to deal with the spike, and it has not went away.

 

@albertf50
did you wear ear protection at these concerts ? were those loud events ?

 

@Bobby B i wore protection a few times, but mostly no. but I just found this on webmd:

Heavy, prolonged drinking -- especially excessive daily drinking -- disrupts the brain's neurotransmitters, the brain chemicals that transmit messages.

For example, alcohol initially enhances the effect of GABA, the neurotransmitter which produces feelings of relaxation and calm. But chronic alcohol consumption eventually suppresses GABA activity so that more and more alcohol is required to produce the desired effects, a phenomenon known as tolerance.

Chronic alcohol consumption also suppresses the activity of glutamate, the neurotransmitter which produces feelings of excitability. To maintain equilibrium, the glutamate system responds by functioning at a far higher level than it does in moderate drinkers and nondrinkers.

When heavy drinkers suddenly stop or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption, the neurotransmitters previously suppressed by alcohol are no longer suppressed. They rebound, resulting in a phenomenon known as brain hyperexcitability. So, the effects associated with alcohol withdrawal -- anxiety, irritability, agitation, tremors, seizures, and DTs -- are the opposite of those associated with alcohol consumption.

What I am wondering is if I stop drinking, could the tinnitus go away? Could the tinnitus be temporary alcohol withdrawal?

 

I just read a few of your post, but looking at them I would find a qualified TRT professional and start TRT as soon as possible. I would also try and find a good psychiatrist and also a good therapist and stay in close contact with your primary care provider. You are going to need as much help as possible to get out of this hole you are in , but you will get out of it. Benzo's and alcohol are both depressants, plus tinnitus itself is really freaking depressing. You can't control the T, but you can control the Benzo's and alcohol. I suggest abstaining from the alcohol and as far as benzo's, long acting ones are the best on scheduled doses, withdrawing from benzo's can also cause your T to spike. Looks like you have had T for a while now so I would go a ahead and treat it like a very serious chronic illness and get the appropriate help. Hang in there and start looking for help right away!

 

I'm on trial for 10 days with these WNGs



I've used it yesterday, that's the second day, for 12 hours and when I went to bed my T was more present or should I say a tad louder. Same happened the night before. I couldn't sleep normally. Even the noise generating pillow didn't help. Is this normal for the first few days?

But I have to say it's really awesome during the day because all I hear is distant white noise and no more damn T.

 

Do they still have a charge if you don't want them? I was charged a $300 fee for trying hearing aids w/masker. Some type of dispensing charge that was probably better spent on a good mp3 player with tracks. I thought the masker sounded a lot like my hissing so opted out. Hearing aids didn't seem to help either. Programmable hearing aids with nature sounds, different white noise choices, etc. would be nice if available. I guess wired is the only way to get good quality sound though with mp3, ipod, etc.

 

No she didn't mention that, hope she didn't trick me.

 

The wireless remote looks great!! What is the model of your generators?

 

Umm it says Moxi Kiss and then on the side Flex Trial. Yeah, the technology is awesome isn't it?

 

I'm tired to explain why hearing aids don't work,they are companies they don't want and they don't care about tinnitus suffering,they only want too make money, iff will still buying this BS wee never going to get the real treatment.please don't spend your money and time.

 

HELL YES!

 

It is somewhat natural after you take out your devices for your T to be more noticeable or louder. While doing TRT I wore my devices all day, then took them out at night, then used a brookstone sound machine at night, sound pillow is probably another great option. If you are getting some relief during the day thats a good start!

 

Has TRT been of lasting benefit to you? Have you 'habituated' to your tinnitus?

 

What is silence in sleep for TRT? To what decibels must we avoid silence?

I find that sleeping with 1-2 fans and air conditioning is better than with some soft music sometimes.

Decibels sit at about 40-50 db , is that enough to avoid "silence"?

I have H also so don't want full silence.

 

The rule is to have decibels sit so you can STILL HEAR YOUR TINNITUS! 40-50 db is fine if you can still hear your tinnitus!

 

So I THOUGHT I did TRT with an audiologist here in LA but he really just showed me a few slides and talked about (in 2 sessions) how anxiety makes T louder and gaba etc.

Does this sound right? Can I do TRT on my own?

 

@Marie79 TRT isn’t something that you can do by yourself. Please read the post below.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus retraining therapy or (TRT) has been around for a while and is one of the most effective treatments for tinnitus. Many patients achieve good results with it but like anything, the benefits will be variable from person to person. It involves using sound enrichment and counselling. Sound enrichment is achieved by wearing white noise generators (wngs). The device closely resembles a hearing aid and fits around the back of the ear, from which a small tube is attached that rests in the entrance to the ear canal. The white noise is adjusted via a small rocker switch on the wngs.

There is another type of white noise generator that serves the same purpose but is smaller and more discreet which some people might prefer. The device is inserted into the ear canal and has a small volume control to adjust the white noise. The second part of the treatment involves counselling. It is necessary for the patient to have regular outpatients appointments, with their Hearing Therapist who is trained in the field of tinnitus and the perception of it. Some patients are also affected with Hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound). If it is present at the same time as having tinnitus then the white noise generators will also treat it.

TRT was founded by Professor Pawel Jasterboff and follows a strict protocol, which should be adhered to for the patient to receive maximum benefit. It must be said, the treatment can be expensive and it’s not available at all hospitals and tinnitus clinics. Some that practice it have adapted the treatment to their requirements but good results are still possible. If one chooses, they can do their own research to find a clinic that practices the Jasterboff method.

Tinnitus retraining therapy is not a quick treatment and therefore must not be rushed. It requires the patient to wear two white noise generators for up to ten hours a day. They are first put on in the morning and the white noise set to just below the tinnitus, and then left alone. It can be tempting to turn up the volume when out on the street as traffic noise can make it difficult to hear them. Please don’t do this.

Constantly adjusting wngs volume will delay the habituation process. Over time the brain habituates to the white noise generator and pushes the tinnitus further into the background where it becomes less noticeable. This cannot be successfully achieved if the wngs is repeatedly adjusted throughout the day.

Tinnitus counselling is a vital part of TRT. Tinnitus can become a problem when the patient starts to believe nothing can be done about the condition. If one isn’t careful anxiety and depression can start to take hold. Through regular counselling sessions with a Hearing Therapist the patient learns not to look at their tinnitus as non life threatening and not to be constantly afraid of it and to be monitoring every little change in its perception.

At first the therapist discusses with the patient how the tinnitus makes them feel and how it has impacted on their life. Often people say they have lost interest in the things they once liked doing, which is perfectly understandable. The main goal here is to gradually help them look at life differently and with a more positive outlook. Over time the negative thinking that is often associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis is gradually dispelled and demystified.

The Hearing Therapist does this in a controlled and precise manner so that the patient feels relaxed and not pressured. Therefore, it must be stressed and understood, this treatment takes time. To complete a course of TRT takes approximately twelve to twenty four months and in some cases longer. The duration of each counselling session is left to the discretion of the Hearing Therapist. Typically, these can last up to one hour or more. The amount of appointments required will be different for each patient, but it is quality rather than the quantity of the counselling that really matters.

There are a few misconceptions about this treatment and the way it is administered that some people misunderstand which I want to address. If a patient is given one white noise generator to wear this is not TRT. When two wngs are issued and no tinnitus counselling is offered on a regular basis, it is not TRT. I am not saying that a patient will not gain any benefit from the above treatments; I only want to state they do not follow the proper Tinnitus retraining therapy protocol.

White noise generators should not be used when going to sleep at night. When retiring for the night, one should use a sound machine by the bedside and adjusted to a level just below the tinnitus. The sound machine should be set to play throughout the night until morning.

Michael

 

I have heard that TRT has an 86% "success rate"... does anyone know what that means? Does it mean that you go from noticing your tinnitus 2000 times a day to 500 times a day or something better? Do you notice your tinnitus just as much as before but you just don't have the same emotional reaction?

I guess that begs the question... what is habituation? It is possible to define it in terms of # of times you think about your Tinnitus per day?

 

Where have you heard this?

 

This website provides a summary of various reports of the effectiveness of sound therapy for hyperacusis:

http://hyperacusisfocus.org/research/soundtherapy/

 

I've seen 86% somewhere... but can't find it right now. Here is a link that says 80% though: http://www.chs.ca/tinnitus-retraining-therapy

 

Hi,

I am in the UK and have had T since ~2003 caused by NIHL and it's only getting worse. It's gone from very mild back in the day to the stage now where I can't even watch the TV. I went to a see a private hearing clinic in Leicester which is also a franchisee of the Tinnitus Clinic and they did all the usual and eventually recommended their "Tinnitus Desensitisation Thereapy" which, to me, looks awfully like the TRT offered through the NHS. I did email the Tinnitus Clinic and asked what is the difference with the TDT they offer and the TRT the NHS offers and they never replied. I read that counselling is a very important part of TRT and there is no counselling as part of the TDT package.

I have read some bits of the TRT thread below but I was wondering if anybody knows if there is a difference between the two? I would also appreciate any stories of people who have been through TRT/TDT.

Interestingly, they almost ignored ACRN. I asked about it and they said I would be "suitable" but did not discuss it in any depth seemingly more advocating TDT.

NB: The prices for TDT on the The Tinnitus Clinic website say they start from £1,675. Whilst this may be technically true, that's only for one ear (one device) and it's also the cheapest device which from what I understand is not capable of playing a full spectrum of sound. If you need both ears and a device which can play a sound closer to your T, it jumps to that magic £4,500 which most treatments seem to be.

 

If Tinnitus Clinic never replied to you on the differences between TRT and TDT, run away. Bad company.

 

So, what is the difference?