CONGRATULATIONS! YOU FOUND US.
OVERCOMING TINNITUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
TINNITUS, RINGING EARS OR EAR NOISE IS THE CONTINUOUS PERCEPTION OF NOISE INCLUDING RINGING, ROARING, BUZZING, WHINING, OR CRACKLING. THESE SOUNDS ARE HEARD IN THE ABSENCE OF EXTERNAL SOUNDS.
POPULAR BELIEF IS THAT TINNITUS IS CAUSED BY DAMAGE TO PARTS OF THE EAR PERHAPS FROM A LOUD SOUND AND SEVERE EMOTIONAL OR PHYSICAL STRESS. RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN BY HAZEL AND JASTREBOFF INDICATES THAT,
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, TINNITUS OR "EAR NOISE"
IS A "BRAIN THING" NOT AN "EAR THING". IN THIS REGARD, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT MOST PEOPLE WILL PERCEIVE TINNITUS IF LEFT IN A PERFECTLY QUIET ROOM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
AUDITORY HABITUATION
IF YOU LIVE NEAR A TRAIN TRACK OR A BUSY ROAD, OVER TIME IF YOU ARE NOT BOTHERED BY THE SOUND YOU WILL NOT NOTICE THE SOUND UNLESS SOMEONE MENTIONS IT. A VISITOR WOULD NOTICE THE SOUND OF THE BUSY ROAD RIGHT AWAY. WHY? OVER TIME THE BRAIN HAS FOUND THERE IS NO MEANING TO ATTACH TO THIS SOUND - IT IS JUST NOISE. ALSO, THE BRAIN'S LIMBIC SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE SOUND. AS THE SOUND IS NOT MEANINGFUL IT IS SIMPLY "TUNED OUT" BY THE BRAIN USING A BRAIN FUNCTION CALLED "AUDITORY HABITUATION". THE GOAL OF THIS SITE IS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO ALLOW YOU TO "RETRAIN THE BRAIN" IN THIS WAY.
RETRAIN THE BRAIN
HOW DO YOU AVOID HAVING A NEGATIVE REACTION TO EAR NOISE,
RINGING EARS AND TINNITUS
AND THUS ALLOW AUDITORY HABITUATION?
ANSWER:
- BY LISTENING TO A CONSTANT DIGITALLY CREATED FULL AUDIO SPECTRUM WHITE NOISE MP3 OR CD AT A SOUND LEVEL BELOW THAT OF THE EAR NOISE MAKING EAR NOISE LESS NOTICEABLE. FURTHER, THE SOUND INCREASES THE PLASTICITY OF THE BRAIN AND DOES NOT CAUSE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THUS ALLOWING AUDITORY HABITUTATION.
- THROUGH FURTHER UNDERSTANDING OF VARIOUS BRAIN FUNCTIONS AND BELIEF IN AUDITORY HABITUATION AND IF NECESSARY THROUGH COUNSELING FROM A CERTIFIED PRACTIONER SPECIALIZING IN TINNITUS RETRAINING THERAPY. SEE OUR LINKS AND RESOURCES PAGES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COUNSELLING ASPECT (IN PARTICULAR, PLEASE CLICK ON THE EARACES LINK). YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO OBTAIN A HEARING TEST (AUDIOGRAM) TO DETERMINE IF HEARING AIDS ARE REQUIRED. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN IN REGARDS TO THIS AND ANY NEW TREATMENT.
- BE PATIENT AND BELIEVE IN THIS TECHNIQUE. AUDITORY HABITUATION
TAKES TIME: 6 TO 18 MONTHS. YOUR RECOVERY WILL BE ENHANCED KNOWING. “THERE IS RELIEF AND A WAY TO BEAT THIS. USE OF DIGITAL WHITE NOISE PLAYED ON AN MP3 PLAYER OR IPOD™ OR ON CD PLAYER USING LOOSE FITTING HEADPHONES AT A VOLUME JUST BELOW THE SOUND LEVEL OF YOUR TINNITUS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH IMMEDIATE TINNITUS RELIEF AND OVER TIME ALLOW AUDITORY HABITUATION.”
NOISERELIEF.COM
Tinnitus can be brought on by severe emotional or physical stress, loud noises (especially when heard in an otherwise quiet environment) and damage to the ear drum, cochlea or nerve. This website is intended to provide practical tips to coping with and over-coming the pain associated with ringing, roaring, or buzzing ears often referred to as “Tinnitus” or “Ear Noise”.
We provide digital quality white noise available in CD or MP3 format for download to be used in conjunction with the Noise Relief system. Sound therapy using these full spectrum, non-looped digital recordings is superior to many other sound generators, sound maskers and sound conditioners. MP3 downloads are attractively priced and the quickest way to get started using sound therapy to habituate tinnitus. Sound therapy on a MP3 player allows portability and is superior to a stationary white noise machine while providing the same benefits in terms of masking and Auditory Habituation.
The site is written in a simple style and is based on literature review including Tinnitus Retraining Therapy based on the Jastreboff Model, electro-acoustic research and from a review of individuals that have successfully overcome the negative symptoms of Tinnitus.
The intent of this website is to provide a practical resource guide to individuals with the ear ringing, ear noise, and buzzing associated with Tinnitus. The individuals who have developed this website have experienced the emotional lows that Tinnitus can cause and have a significant degree of empathy for individuals suffering from Tinnitus. We have witnessed first hand the negative material on this subject and the negative impact this may have on one’s condition.
“There is nothing that can be done. Just learn to live with it”
“Don’t worry about it” followed by no explanation of what the cause might be and what specifically can be done.
These quotes are simply not true. The goal of this website is to outline positive steps that can be taken to remove the severity of the symptoms and generate lasting relief.
The creators of the site wish to emphasize there is a lot of reason for hope. Research indicates that most people 85% in fact are able to habituate or ignore the sounds associated with Tinnitus; a fact that is surprising to those suffering with Tinnitus. We feel there are some excellent coping mechanisms and Tinnitus (Ear Noise) relief strategies available using scientific research based on auditory habituation therapy which is the basis for the website.
Habituation Therapy is treatment based on relatively new research and reports indicate an 80+% success rate.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is based on strong neurophysiological evidence that any person can habituate (ignore any sound in the same way that you wouldn't notice the sound of a refrigerator fan in the kitchen unless you listened for it) to acoustic, or acoustic like sensations in their environment.
With periodic use of white noise coupled with counseling, habituation usually occurs within the first 18 months. This is not to suggest that the Tinnitus will always disappears. Rather it is no longer perceived at the conscious level of awareness.
Read More About Ear Noise Relief - Click here
Read More about Sound Masking, Sound Therapy and White Noise - Click here
We wish you all the best and a strong and timely recovery!
Bill
"I suffered from Tinnitus and tried pretty much everything; alternative healing methods, accupressure, hypnotism and supplements with limited success. As I was always looking for a cause it never occurred to me there may actually be a process to reduce the severity of the symptoms. My health professional told me that Tinnitus Retraining Therapy and other therapies are reserved for more severe cases. For the past year I have just lived with it. NoiseRelief.com provides practical tips and resources to lessen ear noise. The recommended routines are good forcing you to stick to a plan. Some days are better than others and on some weekend days I actually forget about the noise. After 7 months of using the system the Tinnitus no longer bothers me. If you haven’t gone with full blown Tinnitus Retraining Therapy I would recommend the Noise Relief system as a good symptom relief approach."
