Breakthroughs in Tinnitus Treatment

Breakthroughs in tinnitus treatment continue to offer people suffering from this condition a way out of pain and frustration. Dr. Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R’s groundbreaking tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy. Researchers found other methods for treatment, but cognitive retraining remains the most effective means for dealing with symptoms.

What breakthroughs have been made in Tinnitus treatment?

tinnitus-treatments-news-info-best-nyc-02Researchers devised the Tinnitus Handicap Index in 1996. Based on this advancement and starting in the 2000s, tinnitus treatments began to form around the idea of cognitive retraining. These methods target behavior related to flare up with some technology serving to supplement therapy.

Cognitive retraining methods such as our Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy, seek to allow patients to learn how to deal with phantom noises and the resulting frustration, depression, and anxiety.

These therapies work by targeting the negative thoughts and responses to tinnitus. By focusing on core beliefs and intermediate thoughts, clinicians have found a way to alleviate symptoms. Esteemed journals such as the Korean Journal of Audiology and a wide array of studies support this method.

Other recent advancements surrounding hearing aids offer a significant degree of relief, particularly when coupled with behavioral therapy. Signia and Oticon both offer devices which target the frequencies related to tinnitus and can even help strengthen the audial nerve.

Have any medicines been found that can help with my Tinnitus Symptoms?

Medication can help with tinnitus. Alprazolam has been particularly effective. However, these medications tend to have unwanted side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and addiction. Like cognitive retraining, but with more risk, medicines do not present a cure for tinnitus.

Alternative medicines have not been proven to work. These solutions include acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and dietary supplements or vitamins. Despite a large amount of hype, no studies support their effectiveness.

Who benefits most from recent breakthroughs in Tinnitus research?

Most people can cope with tinnitus on their own. However, 20% of sufferers report a degree of debilitation that significantly impacts their lives. These individuals benefit most from treatments such as Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining.

Others may benefit from advances in hearing aid devices. Ninety percent of people suffering from tinnitus report a degree of hearing loss. A visit to an audiologist may be advisable in addition to cognitive retraining if the loss is problematic.

Allowing the side effects of tinnitus to persist is not advisable. When tinnitus becomes unbearable, anxiety can worsen to clinical depression or even suicidal thoughts. If left unchecked, this tends to deepen in a crippling cycle.

Has a cure been found for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is an incurable condition, not a disease. Damage to the inner ear is irreparable. Instead, every form of treatment aims to help afflicted individuals deal with their symptoms.

Despite a lack of a cure, it is not necessarily impossible to devise. Scientists continue to find new information regarding how the ear is affected by tinnitus. In doing so, they hope to improve on medications and therapies that will solve the condition.

Despite recent advancements, many new experimental therapies and treatments are incredibly invasive. Every new treatment listed under the American Tinnitus Association website utilizes electrodes implanted in the body and even directly on the brain to provide a degree of control.

To figure out if you can benefit from breakthroughs in tinnitus treatment, contact the Tinnitus Cognitive Center and schedule an appointment.

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References:

Managing Tinnitus with sound. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.oticon.com/professionals/brainhearing-technology/tinnitus
New Treatment Options for Tinnitius Sufferers. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.ata.org/news/news/new-treatment-options-tinnitus-sufferers
Tinnitus. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/symptoms-causes/syc-20350156

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Tinnitus Cognitive Center

Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R
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