For many of the more than 50 million Americans who experience tinnitus, or ringing in their ears, this is a reality. For those with tinnitus, there have been few clinically viable and effective treatments in the past. Most patients are told that “there’s nothing you can do about it” or that they will “just have to learn to live with it.” Thankfully, this is no longer true. Tinnitus therapy, now available in discreet masking devices worn on the ear, are a ROARING (pardon the pun) success!

Q. How does tinnitus therapy work?
A. The goal of tinnitus therapy is habituation, or the process of “ignoring” a stimulus without exerting any conscious effort.

Q. Is there a link between hearing loss and tinnitus?
A. Approximately 90% of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss. This is not surprising because both conditions involve the ear and the brain. Untreated hearing loss can lead to more than just tinnitus. It can leave you without the ability to understand speech

Q. How do tinnitus devices work?
A. “The new tinnitus therapy devices allow us to treat just tinnitus, just hearing loss, or both at the same time with one device. Our computer software allows us to customize the device for the patient,” says Dr. Sarah Thomas, an Audiologist at Decibels Audiology. “Not everyone with tinnitus needs tinnitus therapy; some find that just correcting their hearing with a hearing device will alleviate their tinnitus. This is why the tinnitus evaluation is so important; this is not a one size- fits-all treatment.”

Q. How much does it cost?
A. A device that can correct hearing loss and/or incorporate tinnitus therapy begins at $999 each and goes up from there, depending on the amount of technology that the patient requires.

Q. Does it Work?
A. Dr. Thomas says “For years my long-suffering tinnitus patients had no options. I am happy to tell them that with this ground-breaking technology, there finally IS something that will provide relief! That’s exciting!”

“Pretending to get the joke in group conversations and laughing, even though I never heard the actual joke. My tinnitus had worsened to the point of waking me up in the middle of the night, thinking my alarm was going off. I was found to have high frequency hearing loss, secondary to tinnitus. I was fit with my tinnitus therapy devices, which can also function as hearing aids. I began wearing the devices at home for 3 to 4 hours each evening. Slowly, the volume of my ringing ears became only background noise and was sometimes gone altogether. I am 6 months in to treatment and have seen a dramatic improvement. I am told by my Audiology team at Decibels that it can take up to a year to completely eliminate tinnitus, but I am incredibly encouraged by the results so far. I can’t say enough about the knowledge, customer service, and professionalism of the entire Decibels Audiology staff.

Thank you to Decibels Audiology for turning my worsening problem into a background noise that is now easily ignored. I will continue to wear my tinnitus therapy devices every day and look forward to continued improvement.”