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.
Do you suffer from a ringing in the ears that’s happening all too often? If so, then there’s a chance that you’re suffering from tinnitus – but don’t worry, since there are several natural treatment options out there which can help. Most experts view tinnitus as a condition which causes ringing in the ears, however, this can also be manifested as other abnormal sounds and sensations. For many, tinnitus symptoms will eventually go away as the ears adjust, however, if you have been dealing with tinnitus for some time, you might want to try one of these natural treatment options.
#1. Counseling and Coping Strategies:
Experts recommend that patients suffering with tinnitus become as educated as possible about the condition and learn how to best deal with the symptoms. This could include getting educated on biofeedback in order to control your stress reaction to tinnitus sounds, for example. If tinnitus is really beginning to get you down or make you anxious, then talking with a counselor can help you manage the emotional side effects.
#2. Avoiding Prescription Drugs or Alcohol:
Research has shown that some prescription and over-the-counter drugs, even simple painkillers, have been known to make the symptoms of tinnitus worse. Smoking, and drinking too much alcohol, are also linked to tinnitus and can worsen the symptoms. If you believe that your medication could be the root cause of your tinnitus, then speak to your doctor about lowering your dose or switching to a different brand.
#3. De-Stress:
If you are super stressed all the time, then this can lead to inflammation in your body, a main cause of tinnitus and other ear problems such as infections and vertigo. Along with that, being stressed out can make dealing with the symptoms of tinnitus worse due to the fact that it changes how your brain reacts to the sounds heard. Chronic stress can reduce your immunity and make you more susceptible to infections, nerve damage, allergies and other ear problems. Natural stress relievers such as exercise, yoga, meditation, and calming essential oils can help tackle a tinnitus problem brought on by stress.
#4. Remove Earwax:
If you have excessive earwax, this could be a main contributing factor to your tinnitus symptoms. However, be careful when dealing with this – putting q-tips or anything else into your ear to clean it can actually contribute to blockages and damage. If you are worried that you have too much earwax which could be causing a health problem, then speak to your doctor about having it drained.
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
Tinnitus is a perception of sound in the ear which does not originate from the external environment, from within the body, or from hallucinations. As many as 18% of the general population living in industrialized countries suffer from this condition, with 0.5% of patients reporting that tinnitus has a major effect on their ability to lead a normal and healthy life.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is commonly characterized as a ringing in the ear, and does not have any exact cause. The condition is usually caused by inner ear damage. However, it can also be the result of an infection in the ear, a perforated eardrum, or simply a large build-up of earwax. The condition is often presented with hearing loss, and can persist for many years in some cases. It can lead to other conditions, such as insomnia, lack of focus, and even depression in some patients.
Can Acupuncture Help?
In 2000, a systematic review concluded that so far, research had not demonstrated that acupuncture was an effective treatment for tinnitus. However, some of the studies included in the review used questionable controls, inadequate acupuncture treatments, and many were designed in a cross-over manner that is generally seen as inadequate for evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture. So, more recent controlled trials carried out since this review have all found that acupuncture can be a source of successful relief from tinnitus, with one study even finding this ancient holistic health technique more effective than traditional Western medicine.
How Acupuncture Can Relieve Tinnitus:
Acupuncture is effective for relieving the symptoms of tinnitus in several different ways. Firstly, it can help to provide relief by acting on the cochlea, and particularly on the contractile activity of the outer hair cells. In addition, acupuncture treatments can also work on the efferent olivocochlear system in the ear; in turn, this will help to suppress any optoacoustic emissions. Acupuncture is also well-known for its ability to reduce inflammation; this is often a common cause of tinnitus and reducing inflammation in and around the ear can help to quickly relieve symptoms. It can also increase local microcirculation, which can help to reduce swelling and inflammation further. Finally, acupuncture can help to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus by altering the brain’s chemistry to increase and reduce the levels of certain neurotransmitters.
Contact the best tinnitus treatment in NYC today to see what we can do for you!
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
What exactly is tinnitus? If you have ever suffered from ringing or other noises in your ears which do not come from the external environment, then you’ve already got an idea of the problem. Although there is no known cause of, or cure for, tinnitus, it can be brought on by a number of factors, including prolonged exposure to loud noises, hearing loss, underlying health conditions, or even for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Here’s what we know about tinnitus so far:
Varying Causes:
Tinnitus can be caused by a number of different factors. In general, it is brought on by age-related hearing loss, however, it can also be caused by an infection in the ear or a build-up of too much earwax, two conditions that can be treated quickly and effectively by your doctor to improve the symptoms and provide relief. In some cases, tinnitus can also be a main symptom of Meniere’s Disease, which tends to show symptoms such as hearing loss and dizzy, spinning sensations that come with a loss of balance.
Diet and Lifestyle:
Some research has shown that tinnitus can be caused or worsened by certain lifestyle habits and choices. For example, smoking or drinking too much alcohol can cause infections in the ear, which can then lead to tinnitus. Dietary habits can also have an effect; eating foods that have a high salt or sugar content can heighten blood pressure, which has been shown to have a direct link with tinnitus. In addition, certain prescription drugs can also directly affect tinnitus. If you are suffering from ringing in your ears and are currently on prescription drugs, speak to your doctor about it as soon as possible.
Treatments:
Unless the tinnitus is caused by an underlying condition such as earwax build-up, hearing loss, a middle ear infection or a perforated eardrum, then it can be very difficult to treat since there is not yet any known cure. However, medical professionals will focus on helping those suffering with tinnitus to better manage their condition. A number of holistic treatments, including acupuncture, have also been shown as effective when it comes to reducing the symptoms. Counseling or therapy may also be sought to help patients discover better coping methods and better manage the side effects of this condition such as insomnia or depression.
Do you need help managing your tinnitus? Contact our NYC tinnitus clinic today to schedule an appointment.
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
Although the cause of tinnitus is not exactly known, it is thought to be an issue with how the ear hears sounds, along with how the brain interprets them. Tinnitus is generally characterized by a ringing sound within the ear. In many cases, tinnitus is caused by hearing loss or damage to the inner ear, however, around one in three people with this condition do not have an obvious problem with their hearing or ears. Here are the five most common causes of tinnitus.
#1. Inner Ear Damage
More often than not, tinnitus is caused by damage to the inner ear. When we hear sounds, they pass through from the outer to the inner ear, which contains the cochlea and auditory nerve. If part of the cochlea becomes damaged, it may stop sending information to your brain as effectively, which then leads to the brain ‘seeking out’ parts of the cochlea that are still working. As a result, these signals may then become over-represented in the brain, leading to the sounds of tinnitus.
#2. Earwax Build-Up
If you are suffering from tinnitus and do not have any obvious hearing loss problem, nor have suffered any damage to your ear, then this condition could be caused by something as simple as ear-wax build up. A build-up of ear-wax will block the ear, potentially leading to the sounds of tinnitus occurring. Having your ears drained by a medical professional should solve the problem.
#3. Ear Infections
Ear infections can cause temporary damage to the cochlea, leading to tinnitus-like symptoms. If you have been suffering from a cold or the flu, or are prone to ear infections, then this could be the main reason for hearing tinnitus sounds. Thankfully, your doctor should be able to help by prescribing a course of antibiotics.
#4. Meniere’s Disease
This is a condition of the inner ear that brings on sudden attacks of vertigo, pressure inside the ear, hearing loss, and tinnitus. Symptoms can vary from person to person, however, they typically tend to happen all at once and can last minutes or hours. If you think that you may have Meniere’s Disease, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
#5. Perforated Eardrum
A ruptured or perforated eardrum can lead to tinnitus-like symptoms such as a ringing sound in the ear. Although this condition will usually heal by itself within a few weeks, it’s a good idea to see your doctor to prevent infections or further damage.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment for the best tinnitus treatment in NYC.
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
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
Tinnitus is a problem with the ears that is normally characterized as ringing or humming sounds coming from inside the head. Bear in mind that the sounds heard with tinnitus are exclusively heard by the patient, and nobody else. Although there is no known cause for tinnitus, it can be brought on by a number of different reasons, including damage to the inner ear, a middle ear infection, hearing loss, Meniere’s Disease, and more. So, what exactly does tinnitus sound like and how do you know if you are suffering from it?
Ringing in the Ears:
In general, tinnitus will sound like a ringing in the ears. In most cases, this does not persist, for example, in the case of tinnitus which has been brought on by prolonged exposure to loud noises, or if you attend a music festival or gig and experience a ringing sound in your ears when you leave. Most commonly, patients with tinnitus will describe a ringing sound, although the pitch of this can vary and some patients experience a ringing sound that is in line with their pulse; a condition known as pulsatile tinnitus.
Other Sounds:
It’s not just a ringing sound that mainly characterizes tinnitus; many patients also describe hearing a number of other sounds, including a buzzing sound, hissing, whistling, roaring, or even sounds that are described as the release of air, or the sound of running water. Bear in mind that tinnitus is not the same for every patient, including the sounds heard – these can vary greatly depending on a number of factors including the cause of the condition, length, seriousness and more.
Dealing with the Sounds:
No matter which kind of sound you hear in your head or ears, dealing with tinnitus is never a nice experience. If you are currently experiencing a ringing, humming, hissing or other kind of sound coming from your head and not the external environment, then the best thing to do is see your doctor immediately so that they can best determine how to help you deal with the condition. In many cases, tinnitus can be caused by an easily treatable underlying condition such as an infection. If you are struggling to cope with the sounds on a day to day basis, then counseling and therapy can help you find healthy coping mechanisms and ways to manage.
Get in touch today to schedule your appointment with the best tinnitus clinic in NYC!
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 is a type of condition in which a person hears or thinks he or she hears a ringing sound in their ears. Most people experience this at some point in their lives, but it usually only lasts for a short period of time and goes away. For other people, though, the condition lasts long term. And, it can be very troublesome overall. If you are suffering from this condition and you want to get help, turning to a doctor is important. When you visit our LCSW-R in New York City, you’ll learn more about what this may mean for you.
When Should Your See a Doctor?
While many people may not need to see a doctor for ringing in their ears, others should. You should do so if:
You have tinnitus that does not seem to go away.
The condition comes back frequently even multiple times a day or week.
The condition is causing you discomfort or even pain.
It is impacting your quality of life.
You should also seek our medical care if you develop this condition after you’ve had an upper respiratory infection, including the common cold. If the condition does not improve within seven days, it is important for you to seek medical care to learn the underlying cause. You should also seek out medical are right away if you are dizzy, or otherwise unable to focus, and if you have any type of hearing loss. Do not wait to get to the emergency room.
Choosing a Doctor
When it comes to tinnitus, many doctors can provide some care, but it is often limited. Many people find that this condition is one with few underlying causes that are worrisome. As a result, some people may not elect to get help. However, you should look for a doctor that has specific experience with tinnitus. You also want a provider that offers a wide range of treatment options for your condition. This is specifically important because not everyone responds to treatment for tinnitus in the same manner. Having multiple options can help protect you.
Seeking out care is an important step in regaining your quality of life. Tinnitus sufferers do not have to deal with this ringing on their own. Instead come in to see our LCSW-R in New York City to learn more about your options for treatment of ringing in the ears.
Call today for a free 15min phone consultation 646-213-2321
The symptoms of Tinnitus and Tinnitus treatment options are as varied as the people who suffer from this condition. The first step to understanding the symptoms of Tinnitus is to understand that this condition is actually a symptom. Numerous things can cause Tinnitus, from an ear infection to working in a job where there is a great deal of noise.
Tinnitus merely means a ringing sound in your ears, which cannot be immediately explained by external stimuli. You have nothing ringing around you, yet you hear it constantly. It can also be a variety of other sounds including clacking, chirping, buzzing, hissing, and even roaring. It can range from being very mild and almost unnoticeable; to being so loud you cannot hear anything else. Severe cases are extremely rare, despite how commonplace the condition is, with 15% of all Americans suffering from some form.
Symptoms
Symptoms include a variety of sound options, roaring, hissing, buzzing, chirping, clicking, clacking, and ringing. The sound can be a single tone or multi-tonal. It can go up and down in volume, depending on a wide range of factors. This leads to a variety of other symptoms.
Additional Symptoms
Additional symptoms include depression, irritability, trouble sleeping, and problems with concentrating. It can contribute to or be caused by certain types of hearing loss, so people often attribute hearing loss to one of the symptoms of Tinnitus.
There are numerous treatment options available, although currently there is no cure for the condition. This may be due to the numerous causes. However, numerous ringing ears treatment options have proven to be effective.
If you are suffering from ringing ears or Tinnitus don’t delay, don’t put off treatment for another day. You could be missing an increased quality of life. A properly-trained medical professional can diagnose your symptoms and help you create the perfect treatment plan for your needs. For more information or to schedule an appointment in the New York City area, contact our office of professionals.
The causes of tinnitus are varied and often unknown. Sound is ultimately a neurological process stimulated by the mechanical movements in the middle and inner ear. By definition tinnitus is a false signal sent to the brain, and as with any complicated biological mechanism there are multiple points of failure that can create the phantom noise.
Hearing loss is often, but not always accompanied by tinnitus and in most cases the ringing is an independent issue caused by the factors that led to the hearing loss itself. While a single sound event has been known to cause tinnitus, it most commonly results from long-term exposure to loud noises, especially “impact sounds”.
Things such as the repetitive pounding of a jackhammer or constant hum of an engine create a sort of blunt trauma within the inner ear, damaging the delicate hair cells that transcribe sound waves into neural signals. It is not clear whether the resulting ringing comes from a malfunction of the hair cell itself, damage to the underlying nerve or both, but the results are the same; a constant, potentially maddening buzz.
Pathology of Tinnitus
The pathology of tinnitus can stem from any point in the hearing chain starting with the ear canal and ending centrally with the brain. The eardrum and bones of the middle ear translate the air vibrations into movements of the inner ear membranes. Problems such as infections, cholestomas (growths in the middle ear) and eustachian tube dysfunction can all lead to tinnitus. Otosclerosis for example is an illness affecting as many as 1% of the people in the United States. In otosclerosis, the bones of the middle ear grow over time to become misshapen and interfere with normal hearing function. It is estimated that as many as 60% of cases of otosclerosis are accompanied by tinnitus.
Illnesses of the inner like Meniere’s disease, perilymphatic fistula and infection often also result in tinnitus. In some cases it arises from interference of the mechanical movement of the inner ear, while in others it directly affects the hair cells or nerves. The nerves leading from the inner ear to the brain may also be directly influenced by things such as acoustic neuroma, a small benign tumor that presses against them. This interference leads to specific frequency of tinnitus that is often helpful in its diagnosis.
Less well understood causes of tinnitus may include blood supply and blood pressure, dysfunction of the brain’s hearing centers, allergy, diet and exogenous chemicals like drugs or alcohol. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) have a long standing reputation for causing transient tinnitus, as do sedatives, anti-depressants, quinines and over 200 other medications.
Overall, the causes of tinnitus are broad. Research continues into both the reasons and treatments for tinnitus.
Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy supports the latest research pointing to the role of neuroplasticity in helping to lower tinnitus level and intensity. In other words, changing your thought patterns over time actually has the effect of rearranging neurons. This might seem surprising; however, this is the very same mechanism through which all learning occurs. And Tinnitus Cognitive Retraining Therapy harnesses your brain’s learning power by directing it to follow new adaptive pathways that in turn lead to significant relief from tinnitus symptoms over the course of treatment.
Tinnitus is described by suffers as a ringing, humming or buzzing in their ears. It affects an estimated 50 million adults in the US. Its symptoms can vary as wildly as does its causes. In its simplest form, it is a ringing sound heard where no external noise exists.
Tinnitus sufferers.
Patients with tinnitus have described it as everything from a high pitched hiss like that of an old recording, to the low roaring of ocean waves. In most cases the sound is heard only by the sufferer, although there are forms that are also externally detectable (auto-acoustic emissions). It can pulse in time with your heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus) and fluctuate with blood pressure. Its volume can span from barely noticeable in a quiet room to audible over a crowded party. It can be affected by multiple factors including time of day, fatigue, hunger, dietary factors, adrenaline, one’s emotional state and other factors. For some the tinnitus comes with hearing loss, while for others it is just noise over otherwise normal hearing. The only constant is that its presentation is as individual as the people who endure it.
Tinnitus symptoms.
For most, the condition is simply annoying. However, severe cases can lead to sleeplessness, increased fight or flight adrenal response, depression and anxiety. Some find relief with in-ear or external sound masking devices such as white noise generators, or by lifestyle changes geared at avoiding certain surroundings. Medical efforts focus on treating the underlying illness when one exists, or by improving general auditory health when one doesn’t. Treatments for medical causes may include therapeutic regimes, pharmaceutical intervention or, in extreme cases, surgery. However, most patients I treated who previously took the surgical route have in fact reported a worsening of tinnitus symptoms post-surgery.
Prolonged, cumulative exposure to loud noises is the most common cause of tinnitus, with some estimating it as a factor for as many as 90% of affected individuals. Presbycusis (the hearing loss associated with aging) is often accompanied by tinnitus, as is hearing loss from other causes. However, it is generally a result and not a cause of the hearing loss. Other known sources of tinnitus include high and low blood pressure, middle ear disorders such as infection or otosclerosis, inner ear disorders like Meniere’s syndrome and even benign tumors of the hearing and facial nerves.
