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.
Tinnitus Sound Therapy involves using external sounds to control Tinnitus for short or long periods of time. Before we guide you further on Tinnitus Sound Therapy, we need to explain to you what Tinnitus is and why it happens.
What Is Tinnitus?
A person with Tinnitus may hear hissing sounds or normal sounds excessively loudly. The cause of the condition can be a disease, injury, or ear blockage. When you hear ringing, clicking, or hammering in one or both ears without an external source, you are suffering from Tinnitus. The sounds you hear can be loud, high-pitched, and steady, or they can come and go continuously depending upon the cause.
Tinnitus may occur due to many reasons, and it is essential to know the cause before you go for any treatment. In most cases, resolving the cause can cure Tinnitus. You can find below some common causes of Tinnitus
People use Tinnitus Sound therapy or acoustic therapy as a distraction, which helps them avoid this condition. The treatment does not cure Tinnitus, but it can make the constant annoying sound unnoticeable.
In some cases, treating the main cause of ringing sounds can take time, or it can even be uncurable. The continuous clicking or ringing noise can cause anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, or irritation, etc. Therefore, doctors recommend Tinnitus sound therapy along with proper medications and treatments. Here is how Tinnitus sound therapy can help you.
When you use a masking device for Tinnitus, it covers up irritating sounds.
Distracting your mind can help you shift your focus away from the ringing sounds.
The theory behind Neuromodulation is that a particular part of your brain is performing excessive activities that are leading to Tinnitus. With background music, you can modify the pattern of those activities.
When you hear a noise continuously, your brain considers it essential. By listening to the sounds used in sound therapy, you can drown out the ringing sounds.
How Tinnitus Sound Therapy Works
Tinnitus sound theory takes advantage of the process of habituation. Your brain focuses on Tinnitus sounds because it considers them essential. By reclassifying these unwanted sounds as unimportant, you can avoid this noise.
Sound therapy helps in forgetting this internal noise. For instance, when you wear glasses, nerve endings in your nose will indicate your brain that there is something on your nose. After a while, you forget about the presence of the glasses. Your mind considers this continuous feeling unnecessary and diverts your attention from it.
The method works as you start listening to specific neutral and relaxing sounds in the background the whole day, even when you are sleeping. These sounds can include the sound of rain falling, wind blowing, or white noise. After the constant playing of the resonance, your mind will associate the Tinnitus sound with it and consider it unnecessary. Your brain will shift this sound from conscious to the unconscious region, relieving you from Tinnitus.
Types of Sounds
The devices used in this treatment produce different kinds of sounds. As per the doctor’s suggestion, choose the music that you think can best help you treat your condition.
Broadband noise is just like radio static. A sound with different colors and frequencies can help you ignore Tinnitus clattering. Examples of broadband noise include pink noise, brown noise, white noise, etc.
Music can be helpful for some people in relaxing and distracting Tinnitus sounds. Instrumental music on a moderate tempo is effective sound therapy.
Notched Sounds can be customized to match your symptoms of Tinnitus.
Modulated tones with soft pulsing sound can also control Tinnitus.
The following tools are helpful when you are using sounds to distract your brain from Tinnitus:
Environmental Sounds
MP3 or Radio
A Smartphone application
Internet (Playing sounds on speakers or headphones
Sound generators on a table or bedside
Wearable sound generators
Hearing Aid
Conclusion
Tinnitus Sound Therapy is beneficial in some cases, but it does not work if you have this condition due to some of the side effects of medication, a rare disease, head injury, etc. You should visit a Tinnitus specialist before trying any treatment on your own. Any delays in treating and not identifying the cause can lead to undesirable consequences.
If you are looking for a Tinnitus treatment specialist, you should contact us at (646) 213-2321 or schedule an online session. Our specialist, Stephen Katz, can help you get rid of Tinnitus.
Audio therapy for tinnitus uses real noise to treat your perception and reaction to Tinnitus. Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R uses sound therapy in his Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy to help patient’s deal with the pain, frustration, and anxiety of Tinnitus at the Tinnitus Cognitive Center.
What is audio therapy for Tinnitus?
Audio therapy is a form of cognitive retraining therapy seeking to eliminate the symptoms of Tinnitus through sound. Our therapists utilize proven methodologies to help you cope with your condition.
There are different approaches to sound therapy in the treatment of Tinnitus. Masking exposes a patient to a sound volume similar to their symptoms. Distraction seeks to replace the sound of tinnitus with something from the environment, and habituation trains the brain to classify a sound as unimportant.
Why can’t I perform audio therapy on myself?
While it is possible to purchase white noise and other machines, medical grade equipment far outpaces their commercial equivalents. Notched-music and computer modified sound emphasizing specific tones are only available on high-quality devices. These types of machines alleviate the burden of Tinnitus even after they are used and are only available in clinics such as ours.
Aside from the cost of a medical device which most insurance plans do not cover, our trained staff knows how to find and target the frequencies which cause your flare-ups. Our founder has over 20 years in the industry. An experienced consultant should be used in conjunction with psychotherapies such as cognitive retraining therapy.
The American Tinnitus Association recommends using audio therapy in conjunction with education and support from a trained professional.
What is cognitive retraining therapy?
Cognitive retraining therapy targets the core beliefs, thoughts, and automatic reactions to stimuli, replacing negative thoughts with more positive outcomes. Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining therapy uses this methodology to help you deal with your Tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus is incurable. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on mitigation. By targeting certain beliefs and thoughts, the desired response can replace adverse reactions.
Researchers find this method to be particularly useful. The Korean Journal of Audiology and our patients find that symptoms are more controllable over time. This leads to lower levels of anxiety and deals with everything from clinical depression and suicidal thoughts to the fear of job loss.
If left unchecked, these beliefs and thoughts have a significant impact on your life. Tinnitus sufferers reported actual job loss and even a fear of sound.
Is audio therapy for Tinnitus painful?
Audio therapy for tinnitus deals directly with sounds in the range of your tinnitus. This treatment is not soothing ASMR but effective, becoming easier over time. Your initial reaction, as indicated on the Tinnitus Handicap Index, will likely present itself during a therapy session.
Patients with acute sound sensitivity may encounter some discomfort when using amplifying devices.
When should I use audio therapy?
Audio therapy is useful when symptoms present themselves. Solutions can involve portable and bedside machines, coupled with appropriate counseling.
What other forms of therapy exist?
Other cognitive therapies exist seeking to combat the effects of tinnitus. These exercises all aim to retrain the brain to better handle flare-ups.
Aside from cognitive therapy, drugs provide some relief. However, they can have harmful side-effects including addiction. Audio therapy is a standout in treating tinnitus.
To find out more about sound therapy for tinnitus, contact the Tinnitus Cognitive Center and schedule an appointment today.
Are you feeling ringing or abnormal sound in your ear? Then I regret telling you that you have developed the prominent symptoms of tinnitus. People are more susceptible towards tinnitus if they have long-term exposure to a loud workplace, a frequent sufferer of depression & stress and those who are an active musician.
Here are some preventive measures that can save you from tinnitus.
Preventive Measures
1. Many industries provide personal protective equipment to their employees. But most of them are failed to give proper training to their employees for wearing protective muffle. It is advised to those who are permanent employees of the industrial environment to wear earmuffs to keep them self-secure from a harmful condition such as tinnitus. As high decibel of noise can negatively impact the normal functioning of the ear.
2. People are more vulnerable to tinnitus if they have gone through with post-traumatic stress. The exposure to a loud environment can put them in danger of painful tinnitus. It can also induce in those who had head and neck injuries. The simple way to prevent the occurrence of tinnitus is to reduce the exposure to loud noise. Regular listening to music through headphone should also be avoided.
3. If you feel that you are gradually developing the symptoms of tinnitus, then you should keep yourself away from caffeine and nicotine-containing product that might help you to combat the occurrence of severe tinnitus. Moreover, you can distract yourself from annoying sound by involving enjoyable activities in your life.
4. As you know, every organ has a unique function in our body. In the same way, each ear also works as a protective organ that keeps your ear clean. The tiny hair and ear wax in ear work as a barrier against foreign particle. But if you are obsessed with the extra cleaning of your ear, you might put yourself at risk of developing tinnitus. As the extra cleaning of the ear can pile up more wax in your ear which could cause tinnitus symptoms.
5. If you are susceptible to certain fungal ear infection, then you end up developing the symptoms of tinnitus. Treating ear infection and regular screening help you to get rid of the achy infection and in turn reduce the risk of tinnitus. As the occurrence of ear infection on intermittent basis can increase the likelihood of tinnitus. So, it is advised you to treat the infection at an early stage by proper medication and routine checkup.
6. We become bored with day to day routine that makes us sluggish and droopy. In that case, we might develop the habit of hunchback posture. Sometimes ergonomic exposure leads to cause tinnitus when we are sitting long on the computer with the same posture. Sitting or walking straight can make your physical condition even and keep you away from tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus is a condition that is mainly characterized by hearing ringing, buzzing, humming or hissing sounds in the ear that are not coming from the external environment. Although there is not usually a quick fix for tinnitus, unless it is caused by an easily treatable condition such as a middle ear infection or build-up of earwax, it will usually improve gradually over time. There are a number of treatments for tinnitus available which can help you cope with this condition and better manage the symptoms.
Treating Underlying Conditions:
Firstly, if you are suffering with tinnitus, the best thing to do is speak to your doctor and have them examine your ears to determine whether the condition has been caused by an easily treatable condition. In many cases, tinnitus is a symptom of minor ear issues, such as a perforated ear drum, an infection in the middle ear, or simply a build-up of too much ear wax. If your tinnitus is caused by any one of these conditions, they will usually be easy for your doctor to treat quickly with the appropriate methods, such as a course of antibiotics or earwax draining.
Correcting Hearing Loss:
If you have tinnitus which is mainly caused by age-related hearing loss or otherwise, then dealing with the hearing loss should be the first step to solving the problem. Correcting even minor hearing loss issues can often mean that the parts of your brain which are involved in hearing will no longer need to work as hard when it comes to interpreting sounds; therefore, your brain will not pay as much attention to the tinnitus. The best course of action is to see a hearing specialist who will be able to recommend a suitable course of treatment, such as having a hearing aid fitted or in some cases, surgery.
Counseling and Therapy:
As a continuous condition, tinnitus can often be very disruptive to the life of the patient. Many patients with tinnitus report a lack of focus and concentration due to the sounds that they hear, along with trouble sleeping and in some cases, mental health issues such as depression. Tinnitus counseling can be very useful by helping you to work together with your therapist to understand the condition and find healthy ways of managing and coping with it each day.
Get in touch today to book your appointment for the best tinnitus treatment in New York!
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
Pulsatile tinnitus refers to a sound that is generated in the ears as a result, usually, of blood flow problems. This causes the sound to vary with your heartbeat. Dr. Stephen Geller Katz a top Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, explains that your pulsatile tinnitus may occur in only one ear. “Although it is sometimes difficult to determine the cause of tinnitus, pulsatile tinnitus is usually the result of a problem with blood flow to the ear.”
Pulsatile Tinnitus is Caused by Blood Vessel Disorders
The heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times each minutes, and that heartbeat is reflected throughout the circulatory system. If you have a problem with your blood vessels, such as a tumor pressing down on a blood vessel or a cholesterol plaque that is partially occluding a blood vessel, this can result in pulsatile tinnitus with each heartbeat. Even high blood pressure can result in changes in tinnitus as a result of your blood flow. This is why Dr. Stephen Geller Katz, one of New York’s top tinnitus treatment psychotherapists, recommends patients with tinnitus avoid things like caffeine or alcohol, which have an effect on blood pressure. Some people develop tinnitus as a result of an abnormal connection between the arteries and the veins. This is known as an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM, and usually only occurs in one ear.
Classification of Pulsatile Tinnitus
Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by atherosclerosis, an aortic dissection, aneurysms and other abnormalities of the blood vessels. These can include a proliferation of blood vessels near a tumor. There are many reasons for pulsatile tinnitus, and they are usually classified as “arteriovenous,” “venous,” or “arterial,” depending upon the type of abnormal blood vessel.
Medications for Treatment of Tinnitus
There are a variety of medications used to treat tinnitus, and some of these medications that affect the blood vessels include diuretics (fluid pills) like Lasix, and other pills for blood pressure that include verapamil and nimodipine. Stress reduction with medications like Valium or clonazepam may also cause blood pressure reduction.
Surgical Treatment of Tinnitus
There may be some circumstances in which surgical treatment of tinnitus is useful. Most of these circumstances occur when the patient is suffering from some form of pulsatile tinnitus. For example, if the tinnitus is the result of abnormal blood flow through a vein, the vein may be interrupted, or ligated. Sinuses and abnormal blood flow can sometimes be corrected surgically. An aneurysm may be repaired and tinnitus can diminish as a result. Pulsatile tinnitus is also sometimes classified as objective, as there are real changes in blood flow that can be heard by a practitioner, not just by the patient.
Diet Can Be Helpful
Patients who experience pulsatile tinnitus as a result of blood flow abnormalities can reduce symptoms by reduction of salt in the diet, in order to reduce blood pressure. Abstinence from substances like caffeine and nicotine, both of which increase blood pressure, can be helpful, says Dr. Stephen Geller Katz , a leading Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist.
If you are suffering from pulsatile tinnitus, call today for your appointment with DrStephen Geller Katz , a leading New York City tinnitus treatment psychotherapist. Help is available for tinnitus, so call for a consultation with an expert in the treatment of tinnitus.
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
Tinnitus is a condition that results in a roaring or a ringing sound in the ear. The sound is generated inside the brain, and some doctors think this occurs when a person experiences hearing loss or other damage to the auditory nerve that carries signals from the outside world into the brain. In the absence of these external signals, the brain creates its own noise, which is experienced as sound by the person who is affected. The effects of tinnitus vary from person to person. It appears that people who focus on the sound produced as a result of tinnitus are significantly more debilitated by their condition. One technique that has shown exceptional promise to alleviate suffering from tinnitus is sound therapy. Stephen Katz is a top NYC tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, and he
Masking Techniques
Hearing aids are one technique to reduce tinnitus, and they are thought to work by increasing the external signal. When a person with tinnitus is able to “attend,” or pay attention to another signal, the internal noise generated by the brain diminishes. Use of a hearing aid is one type of sound therapy treatment, and the introduction of additional external sound stimulation masks the internal “tinnitus.”
White noise machine provide another useful therapy for masking tinnitus. By training the person with tinnitus to “attend” to the white noise, their focus on the annoying tinnitus is diminished. Stephen Katz, a top Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, explains that although these masking techniques are still considered experimental, many patients have reported significant benefits.
What is a Masking Device?
A masking device may be about the same size as a hearing aid. The white noise produced by a masking device is more pleasant than the tinnitus to the person who is experiencing the problem. Some masking devices may include a combination of a hearing aid and white noise. The addition of a hearing aid will enable the person who is being treated to attend to external stimuli from both the environment AND from the white noise. Attention is an important component to consider when treating tinnitus. Stephen Katz, a leading Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist, uses a variety of training techniques to help patients manage the effects of tinnitus. These effects can be annoying, and they can result in disruptions of all areas of the patient’s life. A white noise machine will produce artificial sound or introduce natural sound into the patient’s ear, and although some patients find it effective, a small number of patients are as disturbed by their masking device as they are by the initial tinnitus that prompted treatment.
What Works Best?
If you have tinnitus, you may have been told that there is no cure for your condition. However, you can certainly adapt to tinnitus, which will greatly improve your ability to live with this problem. Stephen Katz, a tinnitus treatment psychotherapist in NYC, recommends exploration of all clinical modalities for treatment, and he has successfully treated many patients who have experienced a significant reduction in the distress they have as a result of their tinnitus.
If you are suffering from tinnitus, call 646-213-2321 today for your appoint with Stephen Katz, a leading Manhattan tinnitus treatment psychotherapist.
Tinnitus Cognitive Center™
Stephen Geller Katz, LCSW-R 19 West 34th Street Penthouse Floor New York, NY 10001
