Are you Suffering from any of these symptoms as a result of Tinnitus? Call Today for a Consultation.

    Mild to severe anxiety
    Insomnia
    Triggered fight or flight

  Depression
  Negative thinking
  Crying spells

  Hopelessness
  Suicidal thoughts
  Ringing in the ears

Do you feel your family and friends don’t understand?
Are you growing more isolated?
Do you feel like life will never be the same?
Are you refraining from activities that you enjoy?
Are you fearful of losing your job?
Do you find that your thoughts tend to be negative?

If you answered yes to 3 or more of these questions or symptoms, then we can help.

You may be a candidate for Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy, or TCRT.  Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, with over 20 years of clinical experience, a New York University graduate, developed Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy and founded Tinnitus Cognitive Center™ in response to the growing number of Tinnitus sufferers coming to his private practice. He discovered that by helping people to retrain and reinterpret the thoughts around their Tinnitus, anxiety and depression symptoms began to improve. But even more important so did the Tinnitus.

Call us at (646) 213-2321 for a consultation.


See our main site: www.tinnituscognitivecenter.com
Blog Posts are Below:


Monthly Archives: December 2015

What Causes Worsening Tinnitus?

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-ih-des) is a medical condition that results in a sensation of noise in your ear, like ringing or roaring sounds. What distinguishes tinnitus from other sounds is that only you can hear the ringing or roaring. This is because tinnitus results from a condition in your body, and the causes of tinnitus vary. Tinnitus affects approximately 13 million people in the United States. The problem can range in severity, but for a quarter of the people affected by tinnitus, the condition interferes with activities of daily living. Stephen Katz, a top NYC tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, successfully treats people whose lives have been affected by severe tinnitus.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Patients who visit Stephen Katz frequently ask, “What causes tinnitus?” There are four major components of the body’s hearing apparatus. These are:

  • The outer ear
  • The middle ear
  • The inner ear
  • The brain

Damage to any of these components can leave you hearing sounds in your head. Hearing loss is a common cause of tinnitus. When we get older, many of us lose hearing over time as a result of cumulative damage to the ear from drugs, medications, periods of exposure to loud noise, and chemicals. Aging related hearing loss is caused by damage to the cochlea, a bony cavity in the inner ear that is filled with fluids and that sends signals to the brain when the fluid vibrates. Medical professionals believe that tinnitus can occur when the cochlea stops sending normal signals to the brain, due to damage as we age. The brain generates its own signals when it stops getting normal signals from the cochlea, and these signals cause the sensation of sound. Usually, people who develop tinnitus from aging related hearing loss tend to develop it in both ears, because both ears are usually subject to the same environmental stresses that cause damage over time.

Some Medications Cause Tinnitus

Sometimes a patient may develop tinnitus from taking too much aspirin. Certain powerful antibiotics are also known to cause ear damage and tinnitus, particularly aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s Disease is caused by a problem in the inner ear, and results in tinnitus with hearing loss, dizziness, and balance problems. If your tinnitus is a result of Meniere’s Disease, Stephen Katz is an experienced tinnitus treatment psychotherapist in NYC and he can advise you about your best treatment options. Meniere’s Disease is a chronic problem, and often occurs in middle-aged people, but it can occur at any age, even in childhood. An experienced Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, Stephen Katz can help you determine the best management strategy if you have Meniere’s Disease. Management of this condition can help you minimize the effect of the disease in your day-to-day activities.

Other Causes of Tinnitus

It is important to determine if your tinnitus may be the result of a tumor, like an acoustic neuroma. These tumors are rare, and tinnitus results only on the side that is affected by the tumor. An acoustic neuroma grows on the auditory nerve, which transmits signals from the ear to the brain.

Some people may have increased blood flow or even an increase in pressure in the fluid around their brain. This can also cause tinnitus that seems to be pulsatile in nature.

What Causes Tinnitus to Worsen?

If you have tinnitus, you may notice that things like excessive earwax buildup will increase the annoying sound. In fact, anything that reduces your ability to hear the sounds around you can increase the sounds your brain generates when you have tinnitus. An ear infection can also worsen tinnitus.

Minimizing Tinnitus Symptoms

There are things you can do to minimize the symptoms you experience from your tinnitus. Stephen Katz advises tinnitus patients to reduce or stop consumption of alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks. If you are a smoker, Stephen Katz will advise you to stop smoking, because nicotine causes your blood vessels to constrict, and this reduces blood flow to the ear.

You should avoid aspirin and medications like ibuprofen, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These medicines can increase tinnitus, particularly when taken in excess. Stephen Katz may advise to add regular exercise to improve the flow of blood to your ears. Prevent damage from loud noises by wearing protective earplugs. You should avoid stress and be sure you get adequate rest, as fatigue and stress both increase the symptoms of tinnitus.

If you have tinnitus that is new, you should see a top NYC Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist who is experienced in treatment of this troubling condition. Treatment of your tinnitus can improve your quality of life. Call today to schedule your consultation with Stephen Katz, Manhattan’s leading tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, at 646-213-2321.

Herbal Treatments for Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a common condition of ringing or roaring in the ears that usually results from an underlying problem with the ear, including ear infections, hearing loss, disorders of blood circulation and even tumors. Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, a leading Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, notes that the cause of tinnitus cannot always be discovered. However, the good news is that there are treatments that can still reduce the symptoms of tinnitus.

Medications to Reduce Symptoms of Tinnitus May Have Side Effects

There are medications that doctors prescribe to reduce symptoms of tinnitus, but these medications sometimes have side effects that are just as unpleasant. Some doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medications like Valium, which result in a tired feeling and may cause you to become sleepy in the middle of the day. Anti-depressant therapies used to treat tinnitus have many potential side effects, including agitation and sexual dysfunction.

Herbal Remedies for Tinnitus

Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, a leading NYC tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, says herbal remedies may provide a safer alternative for reduction of tinnitus symptoms. Although herbal medications are usually gentler, they can interfere with other medical conditions and with medications your doctor may have prescribed. If you decide to try an herbal therapy for your tinnitus, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Gingko biloba

Gingko biloba is a supplement made from the oldest living tree species. Gingko has been used medicinally for centuries, and recent studies show it is effective when used to treat a variety of medical conditions. People who take gingko have reported increased mental alertness and concentration. Gingko has been successfully used to treat circulatory disorders of the blood vessels, including intermittent claudication. It works by increasing blood flow, and gingko also has antioxidant properties that help prevent and repair damage caused by free oxygen radicals. A study that was published in 2002 in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that patients who had tinnitus from noise-related hearing damage showed improvement after treatment with gingko.

Black cohosh (Cimcifua racemosa, Actaea racemosa)

Black cohosh is an herb that has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including pain in patients with arthritis and neuralgia, and in patients with menstrual pain and cramping. Black cohosh causes dilation of the blood vessels, increasing blood flow, which may help with tinnitus, particularly in patients who have Meniere’s Disease. The German Minister of Health appointed a commission to study herbal remedies in 1978, and the commission approved black cohosh as a treatment for tinnitus.

Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa, sheng di huang)

Rehmannia is an herb that has long been used in traditional Asian medicine, and it continues to be used throughout Southeast Asia for treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss. Researchers reported in 2007, in the Archives of Medical Research, that free radicals played an important role in cellular damage that results in tinnitus. They found that use of oral antioxidants resulted in reduction of the noise level experienced by patients with tinnitus. A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported that rehmannia was an effective antioxidant to protect against auditory cell damage, and another study, published in The American Journal of Chines Medicine, found specifically that extract of rehmannia increased antioxidant levels in the auditory cells.

If you are troubled by tinnitus, you are not alone. It’s a common problem, and there are solutions. Call our office today at 646-213-2321 for your consultation with Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, one of NYC’s leading tinnitus treatment psychologists.

Monthly Archives: December 2015

What Causes Worsening Tinnitus?

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-ih-des) is a medical condition that results in a sensation of noise in your ear, like ringing or roaring sounds. What distinguishes tinnitus from other sounds is that only you can hear the ringing or roaring. This is because tinnitus results from a condition in your body, and the causes of tinnitus vary. Tinnitus affects approximately 13 million people in the United States. The problem can range in severity, but for a quarter of the people affected by tinnitus, the condition interferes with activities of daily living. Stephen Katz, a top NYC tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, successfully treats people whose lives have been affected by severe tinnitus.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Patients who visit Stephen Katz frequently ask, “What causes tinnitus?” There are four major components of the body’s hearing apparatus. These are:

  • The outer ear
  • The middle ear
  • The inner ear
  • The brain

Damage to any of these components can leave you hearing sounds in your head. Hearing loss is a common cause of tinnitus. When we get older, many of us lose hearing over time as a result of cumulative damage to the ear from drugs, medications, periods of exposure to loud noise, and chemicals. Aging related hearing loss is caused by damage to the cochlea, a bony cavity in the inner ear that is filled with fluids and that sends signals to the brain when the fluid vibrates. Medical professionals believe that tinnitus can occur when the cochlea stops sending normal signals to the brain, due to damage as we age. The brain generates its own signals when it stops getting normal signals from the cochlea, and these signals cause the sensation of sound. Usually, people who develop tinnitus from aging related hearing loss tend to develop it in both ears, because both ears are usually subject to the same environmental stresses that cause damage over time.

Some Medications Cause Tinnitus

Sometimes a patient may develop tinnitus from taking too much aspirin. Certain powerful antibiotics are also known to cause ear damage and tinnitus, particularly aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s Disease is caused by a problem in the inner ear, and results in tinnitus with hearing loss, dizziness, and balance problems. If your tinnitus is a result of Meniere’s Disease, Stephen Katz is an experienced tinnitus treatment psychotherapist in NYC and he can advise you about your best treatment options. Meniere’s Disease is a chronic problem, and often occurs in middle-aged people, but it can occur at any age, even in childhood. An experienced Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, Stephen Katz can help you determine the best management strategy if you have Meniere’s Disease. Management of this condition can help you minimize the effect of the disease in your day-to-day activities.

Other Causes of Tinnitus

It is important to determine if your tinnitus may be the result of a tumor, like an acoustic neuroma. These tumors are rare, and tinnitus results only on the side that is affected by the tumor. An acoustic neuroma grows on the auditory nerve, which transmits signals from the ear to the brain.

Some people may have increased blood flow or even an increase in pressure in the fluid around their brain. This can also cause tinnitus that seems to be pulsatile in nature.

What Causes Tinnitus to Worsen?

If you have tinnitus, you may notice that things like excessive earwax buildup will increase the annoying sound. In fact, anything that reduces your ability to hear the sounds around you can increase the sounds your brain generates when you have tinnitus. An ear infection can also worsen tinnitus.

Minimizing Tinnitus Symptoms

There are things you can do to minimize the symptoms you experience from your tinnitus. Stephen Katz advises tinnitus patients to reduce or stop consumption of alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks. If you are a smoker, Stephen Katz will advise you to stop smoking, because nicotine causes your blood vessels to constrict, and this reduces blood flow to the ear.

You should avoid aspirin and medications like ibuprofen, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These medicines can increase tinnitus, particularly when taken in excess. Stephen Katz may advise to add regular exercise to improve the flow of blood to your ears. Prevent damage from loud noises by wearing protective earplugs. You should avoid stress and be sure you get adequate rest, as fatigue and stress both increase the symptoms of tinnitus.

If you have tinnitus that is new, you should see a top NYC Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist who is experienced in treatment of this troubling condition. Treatment of your tinnitus can improve your quality of life. Call today to schedule your consultation with Stephen Katz, Manhattan’s leading tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, at 646-213-2321.

Herbal Treatments for Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a common condition of ringing or roaring in the ears that usually results from an underlying problem with the ear, including ear infections, hearing loss, disorders of blood circulation and even tumors. Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, a leading Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, notes that the cause of tinnitus cannot always be discovered. However, the good news is that there are treatments that can still reduce the symptoms of tinnitus.

Medications to Reduce Symptoms of Tinnitus May Have Side Effects

There are medications that doctors prescribe to reduce symptoms of tinnitus, but these medications sometimes have side effects that are just as unpleasant. Some doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medications like Valium, which result in a tired feeling and may cause you to become sleepy in the middle of the day. Anti-depressant therapies used to treat tinnitus have many potential side effects, including agitation and sexual dysfunction.

Herbal Remedies for Tinnitus

Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, a leading NYC tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, says herbal remedies may provide a safer alternative for reduction of tinnitus symptoms. Although herbal medications are usually gentler, they can interfere with other medical conditions and with medications your doctor may have prescribed. If you decide to try an herbal therapy for your tinnitus, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Gingko biloba

Gingko biloba is a supplement made from the oldest living tree species. Gingko has been used medicinally for centuries, and recent studies show it is effective when used to treat a variety of medical conditions. People who take gingko have reported increased mental alertness and concentration. Gingko has been successfully used to treat circulatory disorders of the blood vessels, including intermittent claudication. It works by increasing blood flow, and gingko also has antioxidant properties that help prevent and repair damage caused by free oxygen radicals. A study that was published in 2002 in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that patients who had tinnitus from noise-related hearing damage showed improvement after treatment with gingko.

Black cohosh (Cimcifua racemosa, Actaea racemosa)

Black cohosh is an herb that has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including pain in patients with arthritis and neuralgia, and in patients with menstrual pain and cramping. Black cohosh causes dilation of the blood vessels, increasing blood flow, which may help with tinnitus, particularly in patients who have Meniere’s Disease. The German Minister of Health appointed a commission to study herbal remedies in 1978, and the commission approved black cohosh as a treatment for tinnitus.

Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa, sheng di huang)

Rehmannia is an herb that has long been used in traditional Asian medicine, and it continues to be used throughout Southeast Asia for treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss. Researchers reported in 2007, in the Archives of Medical Research, that free radicals played an important role in cellular damage that results in tinnitus. They found that use of oral antioxidants resulted in reduction of the noise level experienced by patients with tinnitus. A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported that rehmannia was an effective antioxidant to protect against auditory cell damage, and another study, published in The American Journal of Chines Medicine, found specifically that extract of rehmannia increased antioxidant levels in the auditory cells.

If you are troubled by tinnitus, you are not alone. It’s a common problem, and there are solutions. Call our office today at 646-213-2321 for your consultation with Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, one of NYC’s leading tinnitus treatment psychologists.

Tinnitus Cognitive Center

Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R
19 West 34th Street
Penthouse Floor
New York, NY 10001


Call today for a consultation
646-213-2321