Let’s Talk Tinnitus!

For some people, the presence of tinnitus is troubling, so their brain focuses on it, tries to manage it or treat it, which creates a concentrated awareness on the tinnitus. This “increased awareness” can lead to stress, resulting in further enhancement by the emotional centers of the brain, and further amplification of the tinnitus. In addition, if tinnitus is accompanied with hearing loss, the brain tries to compensate for the hearing loss by “turning up” the sensitivity of the hearing system. This not only amplifies the tinnitus but can also make ordinary sounds uncomfortably loud for some people, further adding to stress and anxiety. The result is a cycle of symptoms that can be self-reinforcing, leading to progressive worsening of the tinnitus over time. These factors have made tinnitus very difficult to treat in the past. But that was then, and Dr. Cohen will talk about what is being studied now.

This presentation will cover topics, such as:

• What is Tinnitus?
• Tinnitus and hearing loss – is there a connection?
• Available treatments