Tinnitus

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus, commonly known as “ringing in the ears,” is a complex neurological condition that causes a perception of sound when there is no external source present. This debilitating condition affects at least 25 million Americans and can manifest as ringing, buzzing, hissing, or other phantom sounds that significantly impact daily life, sleep, and overall well-being. At Hear-Again Hearing Center in Cuyahoga Falls, we understand how frustrating and isolating tinnitus can be for patients throughout the Akron and Summit County area.

Your Tinnitus Evaluation

Bothersome tinnitus is not the same problem as hearing loss, and it needs its own appointment. Your tinnitus evaluation at Hear-Again starts with a conversation about when your tinnitus began, what it sounds like, and how it is affecting your sleep, your concentration and your mood. We then complete a full assessment. That includes a hearing test across the standard and the higher frequencies, pitch and loudness matching so we know what your tinnitus actually sounds like, minimum masking levels, and the Tinnitus Functional Index, a validated questionnaire that measures how much your tinnitus is affecting daily life. Your score gives us a baseline to measure against at every follow-up. We finish by sitting down together and going through your options. You leave with a plan and a follow-up appointment.

Sound Therapy You Use At Home

Not everyone who comes to us with bothersome tinnitus needs hearing aids or is a candidate for a device. Many have normal or near-normal hearing and want the tinnitus itself dealt with. For those patients, and alongside every other option below, we include a structured sound therapy program called Oto. It is a smartphone app we set up with you here in the clinic, using what we found in your assessment. You then use it at home in short daily sessions of around ten minutes across an eight-week program, with CBT-based techniques alongside the sound.

Advanced Tinnitus Solutions at Hear-Again

Our experienced audiologists provide comprehensive tinnitus evaluations and cutting-edge treatment options to help you find relief from this challenging condition. We stay current with the latest advances in tinnitus care, including FDA-approved treatments like Lenire, the first bimodal neuromodulation device that has shown remarkable success in large-scale clinical trials with 91.5% of patients experiencing clinically meaningful reduction in tinnitus symptoms after 12 weeks of treatment. Whether you’re experiencing mild tinnitus or severe symptoms that interfere with your quality of life, our personalized approach ensures we develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and hearing profile.