Psychologist or audiologist

[vincentchan]

One said using noise generator is good for habitation one said otherwise

A bit confised

[Ryesand1]

Will be interested in the response. Have just posted about BTE hearing aids which include white noise etc.

[Kellythecat-74]

I think that is because one train of thought , suggests that with noise generators you don’t get to habituate so quickly to the T itself. So guess it’s a choice each person makes .

[vincentchan in reply to Kellythecat-74]

No some even said prolonged use would delay or impact habituation

[SueX]

I think there are different lines of thought. I've had a few session with a psychologist who uses a technique called attention retraining. Essentially you learn to 'hear' the tinnitus but to distract yourself and focus on other sounds. He has said it's best to avoid using sound to 'mask' the tinnitus. I buy in to what he says but lying in bed at night, trying to concentrate on a clock or similar is not currently working for me. I guess we will all respond different to different techniques.

[vincentchan in reply to SueX]

Thx bud

[TherapistwithT]

Read the article "Sound therapy for tinnitus--sacred cow or idol worship? An investigation of the evidence" in Audiological Medicine, 2008 (you can google it), which concludes "The evidence concerning whether sound therapy results in additional benefit to that offered by the psychological component of tinnitus therapy is mixed but overall it suggests that sound therapy results in little or no extra benefit. It is likely that when sound therapy does benefit people with tinnitus this effect is mediated by psychological factors."

[Bbcoach]

There are a lot of different theories but most of the research I’ve read seems to support some form of sound therapy along with other modalities like CBT. I use a fan when I sleep and white noise during the evening especially during tinnitus spikes. I also found a therapist who has tinnitus and specializes in CBT. This has helped me be able to cope a little better with the tinnitus but there are still days when it is tougher. These are just some things I have found to help me but everyone’s journey is different. I wish you the best.

[Buzbee50]

I have had bad tinnitus for 15 years but since a recent opp it is through the roof and need help , i think one of the problems with white noise generators in your ears , apart from the fact it sounds pretty disturbing is if your tinnitus were to calm right down for say an hour or so you would not know and miss the enjoyment of that quiet time.....

[WildIris]

I'm comfortable with tinnitus but I use a device that sounds like running water. I didn't the first few years of tinnitus though when I was young and living with other young people.

[vincentchan]

Has there been research into this treatment?There have been a small number of good quality papers published on TRT.

What does the research say?A recent systematic review concluded that TRT is an effective treatment for tinnitus but that there were limited studies, low quality evidence and a high risk of bias[3]. Evidence from randomised controlled trials is contradictory, with results showing that TRT is more effective than tinnitus masking2 or standard care[4]. However, a more recent study showed few differences between TRT, partial TRT and standard of care[5].

[Sawfi]

I don't think it is going to cause any medical harm either way, so you could just try it and see what you prefer.

NHS advice is "do not have total silence – listening to soft music or sounds (called sound therapy) may distract you from the tinnitus". I disagree with the "do not" part of that. I sometimes found background sounds to be an extra annoyance and a reminder of my tinnitus.

My experience of habituation is that I got to a point where I just wanted to get back to normal life as far as possible. I just said [something unrepeatable] and stopped all medication and sound masking and have been much happier since. You can't rush that, but when you're ready, you'll know. I was recently able to go away for a few days sightseeing and visiting old friends. It's something I couldn't have imagined doing a couple of months before. The tinnitus was still there but it didn't spoil the trip at all.