New England Tinnitus and
Hyperacusis Clinic
Dr. Natan Bauman, Director & Founder
(203) 287-9915
"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 much 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 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 is 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 he 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
no 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 tradition 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:
2661 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
Patients are seen by appointment only; call
(203) 287-9915 to schedule an appointment.
Click
here to request more information.
*The information provided here is not intended
to be used for diagnosis or treatment of specific hearing or medical conditions.
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