"Tinnitus is no longer something you must learn to live with;
it is something you can conquer."
Living with Tinnitus & Hyperacusis
Tinnitus, most often described as ringing or buzzing in the ears, can be a nerve-wracking condition that robs a person of the joy and tranquility of life. Approximately twelve million Americans suffer from tinnitus in its severest form; millions more are affected to a lesser degree.
For most people, the reassurance by their physician that there is no serious medical problem allows them to better cope with the sounds that they hear. For others, however, the persistent sounds of tinnitus can continue to be disruptive and stressful. These patients need help learning how to cope with tinnitus.
Hyperacusis is a hypersensitivity to common, everyday sounds. This condition is present in 40% of tinnitus sufferers, although anyone can experience this disorder. Hyperacusis can make even the simplest of activities impossible due to the anticipation of how ordinary sounds will be perceived.
Past tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment techniques have proven to be unsuccessful with most patients. There is now new hope for the successful long term management of these conditions.
Testing & Treatment
The Hearing, Balance & Speech Center has established the first clinic in the Northeast dedicated solely to the diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus and hyperacusis. At the New England Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic, we begin with a detailed patient case history and a diagnostic audiological evaluation. This is followed by tinnitus pitch and loudness matching, loudness perception testing, and otoacoustic emissions.
Our testing and treatment plan, modeled after Dr. Pawel Jastreboff's neurophysiological approach, involves cognitive counseling and patient education in conjunction with the use of broad band noise devices and/or hearing aids. It is through this technique that we are able to facilitate the removal of any negative feelings associated with the tinnitus, and retrain the brain to filter out the tinnitus signal. The ultimate goal of this approach is to achieve "tinnitus habituation."
Tinnitus habituation occurs when the brain learns to modify its response to the tinnitus signal.
Long Term Management
Habituation is accomplished through the use of a low level, broad band noise device, unobtrusively worn a minimum of six hours a day. The broad band noise generated by the instrument is barely audible to the wearer, and therefore does not interfere with normal communication. In order to achieve successful management, the perception of the tinnitus must be present and not masked as it has been in traditional treatments.
For tinnitus patients with hearing loss, the use of hearing aids in conjunction with other treatment strategies, can achieve successful tinnitus management over a slightly longer period of time.
We look forward to helping you overcome the debilitating effects of tinnitus. Tinnitus habituation can be achieved within approximately 8 to 18 months, with significant improvement achieved in 80% of patients. Through the New England Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic, tinnitus is no longer something you must live with -- it is something you can conquer.
Clinic Information
All audiologists working in the New England Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic are certified graduates of accredited Master's level audiology programs.
The New England Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is conveniently located near major highways at (double click on the address for directions):
2661 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
Patients are seen by appointment only;
call (203) 287-9915 to schedule an appointment.
You may also e-mail us at hearing.balance@snet.net
For more detailed information including testing and treatment costs, click here to access our Tinnitus Patient Information Booklet*The information provided here is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment of specific hearing or medical conditions.
