What can I truly do? I wondered in desperation, two years ago, when both tinnitus and hyperacusis were unbearable. My initial reaction was of rejection and denial — I didn’t want to believe my life had changed so drastically. Then I went through a stage of chaos and confusion. After ten weeks of high emotional stress, I knew nobody was going to be able to help me unless I truly allowed it to happen. This was a turning point, my determination to take charge, as much as I possibly could, of my healing process. By focusing on wellness, I was ready to manifest that condition.
My process thereafter involved three major elements: Meditation, an aspect of human practice used throughout the ages; the Desensitization program developed by Dr. Jack Vernon, Director of the Oregon Hearing Research Center of the Oregon Health Sciences University; and the process of Auditory Retraining proposed by Dr. Pawel Jastreboff, Director of the Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Center of the University of Maryland.

Meditation – A Way to Concentrate on Wellness

While I never had meditated before, now it seemed to be a valuable resource to help me through the most difficult times I’ve ever experienced.
The practice of meditation has been used in some traditions as a method for worship; in others, to gain self-knowledge. A common method includes total silence, deep relaxation, and sustained attention away from distractions for a period of time.
I started meditating for 15-30 minutes each day according to those parameters. It was an opportunity to search within for answers to my troubled situation. But the road was not going to be easy. All I could hear in the beginning was the pounding sound of tinnitus. How can I achieve total silence under these circumstances? I wondered. I persisted, trying to go deep within myself in spite of the constant tinnitus. Not too long afterwards I discovered that silence could have a different meaning when I totally focused on my inner thoughts — my thoughts were even more profound and more powerful than tinnitus! I was experiencing a different “kind” of silence. What a marvelous discovery that was.
As I progressed in my inner understanding and took actions, in a few weeks I found I was more and more relaxed throughout the day, could think with more clarity, and began to pay attention again to my usual goals and activities.
Meditation has been a great asset to concentrate my prayers and to gain self-knowledge about my life and the areas in which I needed to heal. I still discover wonderful insights many mornings.

Desensitization – A Way to Manage Hyperacusis

In my process of looking for additional resources to counteract the devastating effects of hyperacusis — facing the possibility of not being able to leave the house for the lack of tolerance to the sounds of the road — Dr. Jack Vernon suggested desensitization exercises. His approach was kind, encouraging and full of hope.
According to him, retraining the ears to tolerate normal sounds can be accomplished by listening to a low frequency (200Hz-6000Hz) Pink Noise audio tape. It could take two years to achieve retraining. The idea is to listen to the tape at the highest possible comfort level for two hours each day. During the retraining program it is important not to over protect the ears with earplugs, for to do so is to increase the intolerance to sound. It can be possible to gradually establish higher listening levels until loudness tolerance is back to normal.
I decided to follow this protocol to the best of my understanding. Listening to the tape was very difficult in the beginning, but with time it became easier. For the first five or six weeks I engaged in the desensitization exercises four to five days a week, 45 minutes to several hours a day — as much as my ears seemed to tolerate. And it worked! Soon I noticed that a few of the previously very unpleasant sounds were not distressful anymore. I was able to go out and enjoyed the sounds of the streets and enclosed places again. I was healing.
Dr. Vernon recommended to continue using the tape on a regular, but reduced schedule. As things became better and better, I used the tape only every other day for several weeks, then for one hour at a time, one-half an hour, etc. Three months later I didn’t feel the need to use the tape anymore, and I haven’t since. Improvement continues to show.

Auditory Retraining – A Way to Manage Tinnitus

Three months later — and after a 14-month waiting period — I finally visited the Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Center of the University of Maryland as a result of my quest to alleviate tinnitus. The Center employs a unique, multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Personal and continuous attention from Dr. Pawel Jastreboff, Dr. William Gray, Medical Director, and Susan Gold, Audiologist, has been a trademark.
According to their scientific hypothesis and findings, although there is no way currently to correct the damage in the cochlea which causes the generation of the tinnitus signal, it is possible to modify the way the brain responds to the signal through the process of auditory retraining. Habituation to tinnitus could be accomplished by a combination of counseling and the use of therapeutic broad noise devices with very low levels of noise stimulation. As time goes on, the brain can habituate to the sound of the tinnitus and find it less intrusive. The idea is to use the devices for at least six hours a day, preferably longer, for a period of one to two years. It is recommended also to avoid total silence either by wearing the devices, a continuous exposure to a mild level of environmental sound, or both.
From 1988 to 1995, Dr. Jastreboff and associates have seen over 600 people in Baltimore; 130 of them, who received treatment for at least six months, were surveyed to assess results. Over 80% of them show significant improvement, both in decreased annoyance induced by tinnitus, and in developing clear habituation. These people perceive tinnitus a lesser percentage of the time, often less than 10%. A number of them have stopped using the devices because tinnitus ceased to be a problem. Recent long term results showed that about 20% of the people report they are unable to hear tinnitus and have had no relapses in four years. About 2,000 people have been seen in a similar program in London for the last five years with similar results.
After listening to this evidence I knew what I needed to do. My initial purpose was to wear the broad noise devices for at least eight hours daily. Using them wasn’t easy in the beginning. My ears felt tired after a short while, but I persisted. After three or four months, the devices were like contact lenses — a part of my daily morning routine, and I could wear them all day long. A few weeks later I realized that I could totally forget tinnitus for periods of hours!
Now, after one year, my level of concentration is fully recovered — I don’t even think of tinnitus most of the time. I sleep very well (after experiencing major insomnia) and am reintegrated into all my personal and business activities. I am beyond tinnitus. According to Doctor Jastreboff the treatment is almost completed. He recommended to use the devices for six more months to assure no recurrence.

Focusing on what I would like to see manifested — my wellness — has been a key element of my process. On a scale of 1 to 10, tinnitus has dropped from 9-10 (extreme severity) to 1-3 (often not aware of it to brief periods of no tinnitus at all). Regarding hyperacusis, discomfort level to normal sounds has dropped from 7-9 (very affected in work, sports, social) to 1-3 (minimum effect to no effect at all).
Through the practice of meditation I have a better understanding of my responsibility for my health. My deep appreciation to Dr. Pawel Jastreboff and associates, and to Dr. Jack Vernon, for their exceptional medical contributions to my process.