Tinnitus Reduction

Yes - for many, many people with this debilitating condition there is a cure, if not silence then at least near silence, or a significant turning down of the volume together with a reduction in the level of emotional distress that usually accompanies tinnitus. I know. Until recently I was a sufferer - but no longer due to a combination of therapies of which hypnotherapy was a major player. Having experienced this immense relief myself, I was strongly motivated to help others with this maddening condition in my role as a clinical hypnotherapist, which is why I have become a certified specialist in tinnitus reduction.

Hypnotherapy can play a significant part in assisting you in turning down that noise. For most sufferers, however, it is only one part of a combination of approaches to your treatment. Any hypnotherapist treating this condition needs, not just to fully understand it and its uniqueness to each individual sufferer, but also be very knowledgeable about the efficacy of other treatments and be able to advise accordingly. A combination of hypnotherapy, medication or homeopathic remedy, hypnotherapy and auditory habituation is an effective three pronged approach for many sufferers although some will also benefit from osteopathy, especially intracranial sacral therapy.

I advise all who contact me for help to obtain a copy of a super little book entitled Tinnitus: Turning the Volume Down by Kevin Hogan. Reading this book proved to be very helpful to my own recovery in that it helped me to understand my condition and pointed the way to those therapies, including hypnosis, which most helped me. Subsequently I took the opportunity to train under, and obtain my specialist certification from, Dr Hogan, leading to my becoming a member of a small group of hypnotherapists in the UK who feel qualified to act as consultants to those seeking relief from tinnitus. A copy of this book can be ordered direct from Dr Hogan's website at www.kevinhogan.com at which you will also find a wealth of useful information about tinnitus and its treatment.

In order that I can deliver a customised treatment package with the twin aims of reducing both the volume of the tinnitus and its emotional impact, I will need to make a most comprehensive assessment of your particular tinnitus, including its type, severity and possible cause. Some clients, who live at a distance from me, prefer this to take place over the telephone and a telephone consultation can be a feasible and useful option. Indeed you may prefer to take part in a teleconsultation with Dr Hogan at which I shall also be 'present' after which we can organise your treatment together. How to arrange this is on Dr Hogan's website.

Before commencing treatment, however, I do insist that the condition has been thoroughly diagnosed by a medical practitioner, which needs to have included an MRI or CT scan in order to eliminate any physiological cause. I may also ask you to obtain certain blood tests to identify any possible mineral deficiencies and an audiogram will also be useful.

As stress and/or panic, anxiety, depression and emotional trauma are highly correlated with tinnitus I shall of course be incorporating treatment for such allied conditions, as well as for the tinnitus itself. Teaching you self-hypnosis will be most important and I will be making specially designed CDs to help you in this self-help process between our treatment sessions.

Please bear in mind that, however well many people experience a significant reduction in their tinnitus and some near or even complete silence, this only comes after considerable persistence and patience. The healing process involves a considerable investment of your time and a financial investment also but IT WILL BE WORTH IT - to that I can personally testify.

Reproduced below, with Dr Kevin Hogan's kind permission, are some of the frequently asked questions and answers from his website. However, if your particular question has not been answered, or you need further information, or wish to book a telephone consultation or make an appointment please do not hesitate to contact me by clicking HERE or by ringing me on 01978 769178.

Incidentally it has been found that the approaches and methods used for the treatment of tinnitus are also most helpful in the improvement of somatoform illnesses such as  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.

TINNITUS FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON TINNITUS AND TINNITUS REDUCTION.  

  by Kevin Hogan, Psy.D.

If you have been looking for a tinnitus cure, tinnitus treatment or therapy, please feel free to read the all the tinnitus information below. If you want to know how important the cause of your tinnitus is, that will be addressed below as well. (The correct spelling for tinnitus is not tinitis or tinitus). Updated June is, 2005
These are common questions I have received in the mail and by e-mail from thousands of people over the past few years. They have been paraphrased and edited to make them publishable. I think you already know that this FAQ is not to be taken as medical advice. Please see your medical doctor for medical care. Everything in this FAQ assumes you have moderate to severe tinnitus.

Can I get cured from tinnitus too?
It depends on what you mean by cured. In my experience, if cure means silent, near silent or significantly improved, then yes, almost everyone can...with a multimodal approach in their healing process. This is the most commonly asked question I get by fax, mail and e-mail. The answer to silence or "will my noise go away too?" is maybe. About 40% of my clients have reported tinnitus remission as of now. 100% noise elimination/remission is certain for some people.

How did you get better?
Medication, osteopathy, hypnotherapy, habituation, self=hypnosis, ginkgo, wearing a splint for my TMJ, and major lifestyle changes. This is covered in detail in the book Tinnitus: Turning the Volume Down. By the way, I did
lots of things that didn't work. Tens of thousands of dollars of things that didn't work.
 
What was the most important part of your healing process?
Support from my wife was very important. Xanax, Zoloft and Osteopathy (really!). It was probably Ginkgo that got rid of one pulsatile sound (again...really!), self hypnosis eventually took the place of sleeping pills and helped the habituation process...and frankly, was far more successful than I thought possible. If I had to pick one, it would be Xanax, but all were very important.
What is tinnitus and why can't anyone seem to help?
Tinnitus is any noise or set of sounds heard that is generated in the ear, hearing system or brain. Everyone from medical doctors to alternative practitioners look in the ear for tinnitus. That's a good place to start. However...It isn't there in most cases. That's why they "can't do anything." Had they known to look in the right place they would have found it. It's in the brain. ENT's have told you for years, "There's nothing I can do, you'll have to learn to live with it." The reasons there is nothing THEY can do is because they currently aren't prepared to deal with problems that occur in the brain...
And...by the way, tinnitus is not a significant brain "malfunction." More often than not it is a persistent memory (in my experience most cases) much like phantom limb pain. Anyone who treats tinnitus as a disorder of the ear when
testing shows nothing dramatically wrong with hearing (deafness), will indeed fail in helping the person who suffers.

1. I have tinnitus: what should I do? 
   If you've had tinnitus for less than two years, you need to see your doctor for an MRI. I have seen cases where a person became deaf due to incorrect medical treatment. Get a CT scan if you can't afford an MRI. An MRI will reveal more about the brain to the astute professional though, so, I'd opt for an MRI. Either test will find a tumor and anyone who has been in this business has seen the results of what can happen when an . MRI is not given and the worst case happens. Both of my clients who had tumors had more typical tests when their tumors apparently were in their infancy. Call me overly protective of my clients, or promoting unnecessary tests, I won't see ANYONE who hasn't ruled out tumor with 100% certainty. 2 in 1000 or however many people I've seen in the last few years is two too many. Don't worry, it will almost certainly come back negative and you will feel great once it's over!
   
2. Then have a blood chemistry performed. Are you diabetic? Are you hypoglycemic? Is there an imbalance we need to be aware of? See if getting this area of your life in balance reduces tinnitus volume.
   Find out if you are zinc deficient or anaemic. Zinc deficiency does happen sometimes among my elderly clients but has never occurred in one of my under 50 clients. I'm not a mineral expert, just find out and if you're in need of supplement, ask your medical doctor what to do. 
   
3.  Get an audiological work up and spend some time with your ENT. It makes complete sense to get checked out thoroughly. Find out where your hearing loss is, if you have any. About half of my clients have some
   hearing loss. (I'll be frank: I see no correlation between hearing loss and moderate to severe tinnitus OR hyperacusis. None.) Never assume your tinnitus is being generated in your "hearing system." Get all the tests you
   - need. It's your life and your hearing and your suffering. I wouldn't pay a lick of attention to anyone who says, "Oh it doesn't matter, it probably isn't X". Nonsense, find out what it IS.
   
4. Do you work in silence or in a loud environment? Both are going to wreak havoc on tinnitus. Lifestyle change number one is indicated. Too quiet, add sound until your daily environment is around 50dB plus or minus.
   Same with your nightly environment. If you're a farmer or a construction worker or in an occupation where you are exposed to noise all the time, start wearing ear protection now. But NEVER stay in silence for extended periods. Whistle if you have to. The brain must have alternative auditory stimulus if at all possible to help expedite your tinnitus to reduce in volume and distress. If you are deaf, and a lot of my clients are, then you must learn to do external focusing and self hypnosis, regardless of medications.

What do you think of masking therapy?
I suggest the "habituation" approach in contrast to "masking". There are days when masking is very attractive but on whole, habituation is probably a better route in my opinion.

What do you think of habituation?
Habituation is an obvious necessity for EVERY person that can hear, that has tinnitus. My definition of habituation is different than others though. People who fail in TRT habituation that come to see me failed because they were pushed too fast in the habituation process...or shockingly didn't like another sound of tinnitus in their ears/head. There are a lot more ways to habituate tinnitus than with a pair of Starkey's. Pleasant classical music, environmental sounds and babbling brooks pumped into my head 24 hours a day for two years did me wonders. That's where I suggest everyone starts, except those who can't wear headphones for various reasons. Then you look at generators. Habituation is more difficult but by no means impossible when the person has hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is VERY beatable. Most people recover with little sensitivity later. Interesting, though hyperacusis starts as more difficult to deal with (from my point of view as consultant), it tends to yield first!

Should I have surgery for my tinnitus?
Before doing anything that can give you permanent tinnitus...do the things that work. Except for tumor removal, I have never had a client that needed surgery, experimental or otherwise. It simply is a risk that is not necessary.

What do you think of Xanax? Will I become addicted? Will it get rid of my tinnitus? Does Xanax cause tinnitus?
It's a miracle drug. It saved my life. (Me and thousands of others!) If a person has severe tinnitus or hyperacusis and there are no contraindications, it's the most logical starting point. One study shows 3/4 of people using Xanax experience half the noise volume once they are in their third month of usage. That's faster, on average, than anything other option you have right now. It mirrors my experience with clients I've read where people talk about
addiction, devastation and destruction. I tell you what: If you have profound tinnitus, Xanax (and medications like it) will probably save you from something far worse than addiction.
Will you become addicted? I wish it would have been a consideration for the brother of one of my clients. Both had severe tinnitus. Their doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax, the noise became so horrifying the man committed suicide.
The woman (my client) went to bat for herself and worked with another doctor and me. Today she is almost completely silent.

By the way, Xanax has a negative tinnitus effect. In other words, 7% of people who take Xanax report they get tinnitus vs. 11% taking a placebo for the same problems. Effectively this means that the brain is powerful at creating problems (nocebo...not placebo effect) that don't need to exist. Xanax in low doses is a safe and effective starting point for your tinnitus reduction program.

I read in a new book that Xanax (benzodiazapenes) reduce brain plasticity and reduce the effectiveness of habituation (TRT).
Garbage. Xanax (alprazolam) will cost you $140 for the first year if you require it for that length of time. Even if you use the medication for two years before your tinnitus is remitted or much quieter, that's under $300!!! Generators will run you about $3000. Generators sound like many people's tinnitus and
actually can cause more harm than good. Xanax/Klonopin/related helps most people get dramatic reduction in volume and sometimes remission, without
further treatment. Not profitable for "providers"...and it will give you your life
and sanity back. People who haven't had tinnitus cannot comprehend this. I've read authors with fancy degrees who think they know what they are talking about...and haven't a clue. Whenever you see someone try and scare you that an inexpensive, virtual side effect free, and proven method for reducing and/or eliminating tinnitus and the distress it causes is terrible...ask what their motivation is for causing the fear first... THEN figure out what's in it for them if they succeed in scaring you.

What about Klonopin?
All of the benzodiazepines are useful in tinnitus and hyperacusis reduction in significant volume and distress, in most cases. For severe tinnitus, I'm not shy about having my clients talk to their medical doctors immediately about these medications. In my clientele experience, the research is matched by real life positive results. Important Note: Klonopin does seem to help a significant number of people that Xanax does not and this is very good news indeed!

What about anti-depressants?
I think after Mark Sullivan, I was the first person to wave the anti depressant flag. Of course! In my opinion, an excellent choice for moderate to severe tinnitus suffering, if there are no contraindications. Some people say to start with Pamelor, but I would disagree and go with the SSRI's like Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa or Lexapro. Please read that last sentence again. I've had a lot of email from people who didn't get it right the first time. Thanks Some of my
clients have experienced tinnitus elimination with Prozac. But, prozac may have a small tinnitus side effect that is larger than placebo, granted not significant, but I'm conservative. I'd start with Zoloft or Lexapro, but I'm not an MD. MD's have no problem prescribing anti-depressants because they are not "tracked" Will you become addicted? I wish it would have been a consideration for the brother of one of my clients. Both had severe tinnitus. Their doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax, the noise became so horrifying the man committed suicide. The woman (my client) went to bat for herself and worked with another doctor and me. Today she is almost completely silent.

By the way, Xanax has a negative tinnitus effect. In other words, 7% of people who take Xanax report they get tinnitus vs. 11% taking a placebo for the same problems. Effectively this means that the brain is powerful at creating problems (nocebo...not placebo effect) that don't need to exist. Xanax in low doses is a safe and effective starting point for your tinnitus reduction program.

I read in a new book that Xanax (benzodiazapenes) reduce brain plasticity and reduce the effectiveness of habituation (TRT).
Garbage. Xanax (alprazolam) will cost you $140 for the first year if you require it for that length of time. Even if you use the medication for two years before your tinnitus is remitted or much quieter, that's under $300!!! Generators will run you about $3000. Generators sound like many people's tinnitus and actually can cause more harm than good. Xanax/Klonopin/related helps most people get dramatic reduction in volume and sometimes remission, without
further treatment. Not profitable for "providers"...and it will give you your life and sanity back. People who haven't had tinnitus cannot comprehend this. I've read authors with fancy degrees who think they know what they are talking about...and haven't a clue.

Whenever you see someone try and scare you that an inexpensive, virtual side effect free, and proven method for reducing and/or eliminating tinnitus and the distress it causes is terrible...ask what their motivation is for causing the fear first... THEN figure out what's in it for them if they succeed in scaring you.

What about Klonopin?
All of the benzodiazepines are useful in tinnitus and hyperacusis reduction in significant volume and distress, in most cases. For severe tinnitus, I'm not shy about having my clients talk to their medical doctors immediately about these medications. In my clientele experience, the research is matched by real life positive results. Important Note: Klonopin does seem to help a significant number of people that Xanax does not and this is very good news indeed!

What about anti-depressants?
I think after Mark Sullivan, I was the first person to wave the anti depressant flag. Of course! In my opinion, an excellent choice for moderate to severe tinnitus suffering, if there are no contraindications. Some people say to start with Pamelor, but I would disagree and go with the SSRI's like Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa or Lexapro. Please read that last sentence again. I've had a lot of email from people who didn't get it right the first time. Thanks Some of my
clients have experienced tinnitus elimination with Prozac. But, prozac may have a small tinnitus side effect that is larger than placebo, granted not significant, but I'm conservative. I'd start with Zoloft or Lexapro, but I'm not an MD. MD's have no problem prescribing anti-depressants because they are not "tracked" thus you will have no problem here.
Pamelor has a proven track record. The vast majority of my clients who have used tricyclics do get benefits from the tricyclics and even more from the SSRI's... and of course you don't use them at the same time. BUT Pamelor also has more side effects than SSRI's and say, Effexor which is very helpful and has few side effects.

What about ear drops, and all of the remedies sold on the internet?
YOU mean the scams? They are ALL scams. Want a list of tinnitus scams? Type in tinnitus at google and look at the right hand column. All but two that I looked at today were a rip off. PLEASE save your money. If they have a remedy, they must have a double blind placebo study. Ask for it. (It doesn't exist.) Don't ask for testimonials. Ask for a double blind placebo study performed by an independent group. Again, there are none. Period.

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