If you are living with tinnitus, contact the Sound Relief Hearing Center. We are the tinnitus experts you need to experience the best possible outcome with your tinnitus treatment. To learn more about us, please browse our website or give us a call at 720-259-9962. You can also schedule an appointment online to meet with one of our tinnitus specialists. We look forward to hearing from you!
Static noise is designed to distract you from your tinnitus.  By mixing a static sound with the tinnitus noise, this can help to divert your attention away from the tinnitus.  Miracle-Ear hearing aids have five different types of pre-set static noise sounds so that together, with your hearing care specialist, you can customize this program to your needs to help you relax without the annoyance of tinnitus. 
An assessment of hyperacusis, a frequent accompaniment of tinnitus,[56] may also be made.[57] The measured parameter is Loudness Discomfort Level (LDL) in dB, the subjective level of acute discomfort at specified frequencies over the frequency range of hearing. This defines a dynamic range between the hearing threshold at that frequency and the loudnes discomfort level. A compressed dynamic range over a particular frequency range is associated with subjectve hyperacusis. Normal hearing threshold is generally defined as 0–20 decibels (dB). Normal loudness discomfort levels are 85–90+ dB, with some authorities citing 100 dB. A dynamic range of 55 dB or less is indicative of hyperacusis.[58][59]
Tinnitus is the name for hearing a sound that is not physically present in the environment. Some researchers have also described tinnitus as a “phantom auditory perception.” People with tinnitus most often describe it as ringing, buzzing, cricket sounds, humming, and whooshing, although many other descriptions have been used. To hear some sound samples access the American Tinnitus Association website, where they have put together files of different manifestations of tinnitus to listen to for education purposes.
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). This technique is based on the assumption that tinnitus results from abnormal neuronal activity (see "What's going on?"). The aim is to habituate the auditory system to the tinnitus signals, making them less noticeable or less bothersome. The main components of TRT are individual counseling (to explain the auditory system, how tinnitus develops, and how TRT can help) and sound therapy. A device is inserted in the ear to generate low-level noise and environmental sounds that match the pitch, volume, and quality of the patient's tinnitus. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, treatment may last one to two years.
As of 2014 there were no medications effective for idiopathic tinnitus.[3][73] There is not enough evidence to determine if antidepressants[81] or acamprosate are useful.[82] While there is tentative evidence for benzodiazepines, it is insufficient to support usage.[3] Usefulness of melatonin, as of 2015, is unclear.[83] It is unclear if anticonvulsants are useful for treating tinnitus.[3][84] Steroid injections into the middle ear also do not seem to be effective.[85][86]
^{Most people with tinnitus also have hearing loss. Hence, hearing aids can be an effective part of any sound therapy.  Hearing aids alone can provide partial or total relief from tinnitus. If you’re experiencing challenges with your hearing as well as tinnitus, a combination of a hearing solution with built-in sound generators can often be prescribed. You can expect improved levels of hearing which also helps to minimise the effects of the condition in the same way that sound therapy might.}
Tinnitus (pronounced "tin-it-tus") is an abnormal noise in the ear (note that it is not an "itis" -- which means inflammation). Tinnitus is common -- nearly 36 million Americans have constant tinnitus and more than half of the normal population has intermittent tinnitus.   Another way to summarize this is that about 10-15% of the entire population has some type of constant tinnitus, and about 20% of these people (i.e. about 1% of the population) seek medical attention (Adjamian et al, 2009). Similar statistics are found in England (Dawes et al, 2014) and Korea (Park and Moon, 2014).
^{Demographic variables (age, sex, type of tinnitus) and baseline THI scores of placebo (n = 16) and treatment (n = 11) groups did not significantly differ from one another at the start of the study. At 3 months, participants in the treatment group reported significantly lower scores on the THI when compared to the placebo group (p < .05). The treatment group also showed an 11-point drop in THI scores when comparing baseline and 3 months (p < .05; please see Figure 2). THI scores for the placebo group comparing both time points were non-significant. Past studies have indicated that the minimum change in the THI score to be considered clinically significant is a drop of 6 to 7 points.9 As such, the results of our clinical study suggest that tinnitus and its related symptoms can produce a clinically significant reduction in tinnitus within the first 3 months using the personalized music-based therapy.}
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) combines a wearable device that is individually programmed to mask the specific tonal frequency of that person’s tinnitus, with psychological therapy that teaches a patient to ignore the sounds his tinnitus is creating. I consider it the best of all of the above noise suppression techniques, as it is individually tailored for each person and involves support from a trained psychological therapist. It is also the most expensive and time consuming, but in my medical opinion, the most beneficial of all the noise suppression techniques listed above.
Before long, you’re both mentally and physically stimulated in ways that make it even harder to relax and fall asleep. Like any other form of anxiety, stress about falling asleep creates mental arousal, bringing your brain to alertness. And it also creates physical arousal, raising heart rate and body temperature. This kind of anxiety can lead to behaviors that further undermine sleep, including:
^{The noise heard by people with tinnitus may be a buzzing, ringing, roaring, whistling, or hissing sound and is often associated with hearing loss. Some people hear more complex sounds that may be different at different times. These sounds are more noticeable in a quiet environment and when people are not concentrating on something else. Thus, tinnitus tends to be most disturbing to people when they are trying to sleep. However, the experience of tinnitus is highly individual. Some people are very disturbed by their symptoms, whereas others find them quite bearable.}
Subjective tinnitus is the most common type and accounts for 95 percent of cases. Only you can hear it and it’s usually caused by exposure to excessive noise. It can appear suddenly and may last three months (acute) to 12 months (subacute), or longer. Subjective tinnitus is often accompanied by hearing loss due to hair cell nerve damage. The severity of symptoms varies from patient to patient, and largely depends on your reaction to the noise.
^{Age-Related Hearing Loss: Also known as presbycusis, age-related hearing loss results from the cumulative effect of aging on hearing. This permanent, progressive, and sensorineural condition is most pronounced at higher frequencies. It commonly impacts people over the age of 50, as all people begin to lose approximately 0.5% of the inner ear’s hair cells annually starting at age 40.
Serenade by SoundCure is based on S-tones. The MP3 player-like device was developed through research from the University of California, Irvine, where it was proven that the temporal-patterned sounds produced by SoundCure can suppress a patient’s tinnitus. Instead of drowning out tinnitus with another sound played at a louder volume, it actively reduces the condition. The therapy is custom-designed by a patient’s audiologist following testing.}
Tinnitus is believed to be caused by inner ear cell damage. Cilia in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers these cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus.
Another example of somatic tinnitus is that caused by temperomandibular joint disorder. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is where the lower jaw connects to the skull, and is located in front of the ears. Damage to the muscles, ligaments, or cartilage in the TMJ can lead to tinnitus symptoms. The TMJ is adjacent to the auditory system and shares some ligaments and nerve connections with structures in the middle ear.
^{The patients were assessed at the start of the study for their hearing ability and the severity of their tinnitus. The researchers assessed the degree of severity using established questionnaires, which looked at health-related quality of life, the psychological distress associated with tinnitus and how far it impaired their functioning. Using this information, researchers divided participants into four groups ranked on the severity of their condition.}

This personalized solution offers a selection of tinnitus relief sounds to support common management approaches. The flexible programming provides sound stimulation through select auditory options that can ease the effects of tinnitus. The sounds offer a variety of customized options and are used in conjunction with tinnitus retraining therapy to provide instructional counseling.

Millions of Americans experience tinnitus, often to a debilitating degree, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15% of the general public — over 50 million Americans — experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million have extreme and debilitating cases.1