Are You Suffering From Any of These Symptoms as a Result of Tinnitus? Call Today for a Consultation.

■ Mild to severe anxiety	■ Depression
■ Insomnia	■ Negative thinking
■ Triggered fight or flight	■ Crying spells
■ Hopelessness	■ Ringing in the ears
■ Suicidal thoughts

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.

With over 20 years of clinical experience, Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R developed Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy and founded the 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 Dr. Katz at (646) 213-2321 for a consultation.

Convenient Online Sessions
Dr. Katz Speaks 5 languages

See our main site: www.TinnitusCognitiveCenter.com
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Category Archives: Ear & Hearing

The Role of Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Management

The Role of Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Management Hearing aids play a crucial role in tinnitus management by amplifying external sounds, which can help mask the internal ringing associated with tinnitus. This amplification makes environmental sounds more prominent, reducing the focus on tinnitus.

Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Management

Amplification and Sound Masking

Hearing aids amplify external sounds, making them more noticeable than the tinnitus. This can be especially effective for individuals with hearing loss, as the enhanced external sounds mask the tinnitus. Additionally, some hearing aids come with built-in sound generators that produce soothing sounds like white noise, further helping to mask tinnitus.

Improving Communication

By improving hearing ability, hearing aids can make conversations and daily interactions easier. This can reduce the stress and frustration often associated with hearing difficulties and tinnitus. Better communication can also reduce social isolation, which is a common issue for those with tinnitus and hearing loss.

Sound Therapy Integration

Modern hearing aids often come with built-in sound therapy features. These can include white noise or nature sounds that help mask tinnitus, providing continuous relief throughout the day. This integration of sound therapy within hearing aids makes it convenient for users to manage their tinnitus without needing separate devices.

Customized Settings

Hearing aids can be customized to meet the specific needs of each individual. Audiologists can adjust the settings to provide the best possible relief from tinnitus symptoms, enhancing the effectiveness of the devices. Customization ensures that the hearing aids are tailored to the user’s specific hearing loss profile and tinnitus frequency.

Technological Advancements

The technology behind hearing aids has advanced significantly, making them more effective for tinnitus management. Features like directional microphones, feedback cancellation, and Bluetooth connectivity have enhanced the user experience. Bluetooth connectivity allows users to stream audio directly from their devices, providing additional sources of sound that can help mask tinnitus.

Psychological Benefits

Wearing hearing aids can also provide psychological benefits. By improving hearing and communication, users often experience reduced stress and anxiety. This can lead to better overall mental health, which is crucial for managing tinnitus. Addressing hearing loss can also boost confidence and quality of life.

Combining Hearing Aids with Other Treatments

Hearing aids are most effective when used in conjunction with other tinnitus treatments. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness meditation, and sound therapy can complement the benefits of hearing aids. This combined approach can provide a comprehensive tinnitus management plan.

Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Management: Conclusion

Hearing aids offer significant benefits for managing tinnitus by amplifying external sounds, improving communication, integrating sound therapy, and providing psychological benefits. Technological advancements and customized settings ensure optimal relief, making hearing aids a valuable tool for those affected by tinnitus.

For expert guidance on how hearing aids can help manage your tinnitus, contact Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R, at the Tinnitus Cognitive Center. Stephen specializes in comprehensive tinnitus management and can tailor a treatment plan to your needs.

TINNITUS AND HEARING LOSS

What is the relationship between tinnitus and hearing loss? The main reason for Tinnitus isn’t yet fully understood, but the link leads to many different conditions. One of these conditions is hearing loss. Tinnitus is a symptom, and it mostly relates to hearing loss. There are many ways to define Tinnitus, such as the pulsating or constant presence of high- or low-frequency sounds or more complicated sounds. These symptoms can point toward one of the following: High-Frequency Hearing Loss Tinnitus, or Low-Frequency Hearing Loss and Tinnitus.

Tinnitus link with following ear-related conditions:

Ear-wax blockage
A torn eardrum
Ear infections like glue ear
Otosclerosis
Ménière’s disease
Neurological disorders

Tinnitus sometimes also occurs with the following health conditions:

Neck and head injuries
Metabolic disorders like hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and hypothyroidism
Cardiovascular disorders particularly high blood pressure
Medications like ototoxic drugs

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The Link Between Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Almost two-thirds of people suffering from Tinnitus also have hearing loss. The most common cause of Tinnitus is a loss in hearing. Sound waves travel into the cochlea, which is a hearing organ inside the inner ear. Thousands of hair cells in the cochlea change sound waves into electrical signals and these hair cells are sound-sensing cells lined up in cochlea.

If a part of your hearing or ear nerve doesn’t work or gets damaged, it will limit the number of electrical signals transmitted to the brain. According to researchers, when the brain does not receive some indication, it fills the gap of the sounds, which causes Tinnitus.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss or (SNHL) is a hearing loss condition, which is a result of damage to the auditory nerve or cochlea. Your ear consists of three parts: the inner, middle, and outer ear. SNHL affects the inner ear. Soft sounds can be hard to hear, or louder sound can be unclear. SNHL is a common type of loss of hearing. In most cases, surgeries and medicine cannot help; you may need a hearing aid to help you hear.

The following things can cause SNHL hearing loss:

Illnesses
Certain drugs
Hearing loss inheritance
Aging
Head injury
Any problem in the inner ear
Loud noises or explosions

Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss is a condition when sounds do not pass through the outer and middle ear. It is hard to hear a soft sound.

Causes of Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs due to the following reasons:

Fluid-filled in the middle ear due to allergies or cold.
Otitis media or ear infection: Otitis is also known as ear infection, and media means middle, and this occurs due to infection in the middle ear.
Poor functioning of the Eustachian tube – the Eustachian tube joins together your nose and your middle ear. This tube drains out fluid in the middle ear. If the tube is not working correctly, the fluid will remain in the middle ear.
A hole in the eardrum
Benign tumors. These tumors can block the middle or outer ear. These are not cancer.
Cerumen, or earwax blockage in your ear canal
External otitis is an infection of the ear canal, and this is also called swimmer’s ear.
If an object is stuck in the outer ear, for example; which could be a situation where a child inserted a pebble inside his/her ear
A problem with the structure of the outer and middle ear – for instance, people born without an external ear, having a deformed ear canal, or having a problem with bones in their middle ear.

Conclusion

Hearing loss and Tinnitus cannot be deadly, but it can affect the way of living. It would be beneficial for you if you treat Tinnitus at earliest. If the condition remains untreated for too long, it can lead to permanent hearing loss. If you need a Tinnitus treatment specialist, you should contact us at (646) 213-2321 or visit our clinic for an appointment. Our specialist, Stephen Katz, can help you manage your Tinnitus.

Physiology of Ear

What is physiology of ear? Can you imagine your life without hearing? Bless those souls who are leading their lives wonderfully without the sense of hearing. Your ears are one of the most vital parts of your body. They give you the gift of one of the five senses. Your ears have a perfectly shape to transmit and transduce the sounds to your brain. Let us have a thorough understanding of the physiology of ear to appreciate its miraculous working.

The Outer Ear

An ear has three main parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and the inner. Let us understand the parts of an outer ear first. The outer inner is mainly the visible part of the ear. The outer ear is the entryway of the sound waves into the ear. Following are the parts of an outer ear.

Pinna

Most of the outer ear comprises of the pinna or an auricle, which is the visible fleshy part. Helix is the curving and outer rim of the pinna. As the curving of the pinna goes inward, the sound waves reach the antihelix, which opens in the ear canal. Pinna consists of single elastic cartilage that helps to hold and support the ear.

Ear Canal

It is the pathway between the outer ear and the middle ear through which the sound waves travel.

Tragus

The tragus is a small protruding opening that partially covers the ear canal. Interestingly tragus is also the name of the hair at the entrance of the ear. The parallel side of the tragus is the antitragus.

The Middle Ear

The middle ear lies between the outer and inner ear. It has an air-filled cavity, the tympanic cavity and includes the ossicles.

Ossicles

The ossicles are the three bones Anvil, Hammer, and Stirrup present in the middle ear. The bones attach to the ear with their ligaments. These bones are the smallest bones of the human body. Ossicles help to direct and transmit the sound waves to the cochlea (the inner ear).

Eustachian Tube/Auditory Tube

This part of the middle ear connects to the throat and nasopharynx through the pharyngeal opening.

Round and Oval Windows

These two small windows provide openings to the inner ear.

Inner Ear

The inner ear is the area where the action starts. It sits in the bony labyrinth cavity of the ear. The inner ear has inter-connected tubes and chambers. The cochlea is the most important part of the inner ear. The other chambers with the fluid inside are the vestibular tubules or the semi-circular canals. These structures together form the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear.

Cochlea

This snail-shaped chamber receives sound waves from the middle ear. Any damage to the cochlea can partially or completely deafen you. Sound waves reach the brain through vestibulocochlear nerves present in the cochlea. The interpretation of the sounds waves takes place in the brain. The hairs in the cochlea also help in the transmission of the sound waves.

Conclusion

This was a simple and easy understanding of the physiology of the ear, highlighting the important components of the ears. As remarkable and well functioning the human ear is, it is also very delicate. Too much noise exposure can damage the cochlea and other important components of the ear.

If you experience ear-related problems, then contact us at 646-213-2321 to schedule a consultation. We at Tinnitus Cognitive Therapy have the best tinnitus specialist in NYC who offers advanced cognitive therapies for treating your ear-related problems.

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

Convenient Online Sessions
Dr. Katz Speaks 5 languages

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