Managing Tinnitus with Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus can cause you to perceive sounds such as ringing, buzzing, or hissing without an external source. Many people refer to it as “ringing in the ears,” but that is a misnomer, as different people may experience different sounds. Tinnitus is a symptom rather than a condition or a disease. It can be associated with hearing loss, a blood vessel disorder, an ear injury, or something else happening in your body. [1]

Although the sound perceived does not have an external source, tinnitus sounds very real to the person experiencing it. And while tinnitus is rarely a symptom of a serious medical condition, it can have a significant impact on someone living with these symptoms.

Living with tinnitus can make it difficult to sleep, concentrate, and relax, which can increase anxiety and depression. This can create a vicious cycle of chronic stress, which is correlated with worsened tinnitus symptoms.

The good news is that tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) can help you manage your symptoms. Let’s explore how tinnitus retraining therapy treatments work and how to get started.

Learn about the truth about tinnitus. 

Sound therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy can be effective at retraining your brain so your tinnitus is less bothersome to you.

While these treatments do not make tinnitus go away, counseling has been shown to make patients feel more neutral towards their tinnitus, instead of symptoms being disruptive. Likewise, studies have shown that sound therapy is effective in distracting patients from tinnitus sounds. [4]

While effective, it’s helpful to know that tinnitus retraining therapy is not usually covered by insurance. This is because TRT is considered an experimental therapy. However, your benefits may cover the hearing tests used to diagnose tinnitus, as well as hearing aids with tinnitus masking features.[6]

What will your benefits cover? Use Amplifon’s benefit checking tool to get the most out of your hearing benefits!

Because TRT takes time, some people with tinnitus have trouble affording care or following through with the lengthy treatment plan. However, emerging technology makes it possible to complete therapy through a smart device.

Whereas conventional TRT is usually done in person, smart device-based TRT (smart-TRT) can be completed through a phone or tablet. Smart-TRT is relatively new, but studies have shown that it can be just as effective as conventional TRT. [7]

The ability to do tinnitus retraining therapy at home makes TRT more accessible and affordable. Ask your hearing healthcare provider for more information on starting at-home TRT.