PTM PDF

How to Manage Your Tinnitus:
A Step-by-Step Workbook
Third edition
James A. Henry, PhD

Tara L. Zaugg, AuD
Paula J. Myers, PhD
Caroline J. Kendall, PhD
James A. Henry, PhD

VA RR&D National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) at
the VA Medical Center and Department of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health &
Science University; Portland, Oregon.
Tara L. Zaugg, AuD
VA RR&D National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research at the VA
Medical Center, Portland, Oregon.
Paula J. Myers, PhD
Audiology Clinic, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, Florida.
Caroline J. Kendall, PhD
VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut and Department
of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
Design and illustrations: Lynn Kitagawa, MFA, Medical Media, VA Medical

Center, Portland, Oregon.
Photography: Michael Moody, Medical Photographer, Medical Media, VA
Medical Center, Portland, Oregon.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to our nation’s military Veterans. We thank you for
serving our country. You are the reason we enjoy freedom.
Acknowledgments
Development and publication of this book was supported by VA Rehabilitation
Research and Development (RR&D) Service, the NCRAR, and VA Employee
Education System. Numerous individuals have contributed in various and
significant ways toward this effort, including:
• Russell L. Bennett (Computer Specialist, Long Beach Employee
Education Resource Center, Long Beach, California)
• Daniel C. Garcia (Graphic Designer, Long Beach Employee Education
Resource Center, Long Beach, California)
• Katie J. Fick, MS (Research Assistant, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital,
Tampa, Florida)
• Jeff Hall (Production Sound Mixer, Salt Lake City Employee Education
Resource Center, Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Christine Kaelin, MBA (Clinical Research Coordinator, NCRAR,
Portland, Oregon)
• David Lehman (Executive Producer, Salt Lake City Employee Education
Resource Center, Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Marcia Legro, PhD (Research Psychologist, Seattle, Washington)
• Will Murphy (Audiovisual Production Specialist, Portland VA Medical
Center)
• Kimberly Owens, MPH (Clinical Research Coordinator, Saint Thomas
Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee)
• Emily Thielman, MS (Research Assistant, NCRAR, Portland, Oregon)
• Dwayne Washington (Audiovisual Production Specialist, Portland VA
Medical Center)
• John C. Whatley, PhD (Project Manager, Birmingham Employee
Education Resource Center, Birmingham, Alabama)
Also, thanks to Stephen Fausti, PhD and Sara Ruth Oliver, AuD for their
continued support of tinnitus research and clinical activities at the PVAMC.
My Contact Information
Table of Contents
Part 1. Introduction 1
What is Tinnitus? 1
Should I See a Physician? 2
Tinnitus at a Glance 4
How Can This Workbook Help Me? 6
Goals of Tinnitus Management (All Methods) 7
Part 2. Step-by-Step Guide: Using Sound to 9

Manage Tinnitus
Tinnitus and Hearing Survey 9
Using Sound to Manage Reactions to Tinnitus 12
Environmental Sound, Music, and Speech 13
Sound Grid 13
Soothing Sound 14
Background Sound 17
Interesting Sound 22
Test Your Understanding 25
Develop a Personal “Sound Plan” 27
Key Points for Your First Sound Plan Worksheet 27
Ongoing Use of the Sound Plan Worksheet 27
How to Fill Out the Sound Plan Worksheet 27
Tinnitus Problem Checklist 29
Example of Completed Sound Plan Worksheet 30
Part 3. Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Thoughts 37

and Feelings to Manage Reactions to Tinnitus
Relaxation Exercises
Deep Breathing 38
Imagery 40
Pleasant Activity Scheduling 44
Changing Thoughts 48
Changing Thoughts and Feelings Worksheet 57
Part 4. Protect Your Ears! 61

Standard Earplugs 63
Custom Earplugs 63
Hi-fi Earplugs 64
Electronic Earplugs 64
Earmuffs 64
Appendix A: Description of Tinnitus 65

Appendix B: What Causes Tinnitus? 67
Appendix C: Methods of Tinnitus Management 72
Appendix D: What To Do When Everyday Sounds Are Too Loud 81
Appendix E: Effects of Tinnitus 84
Appendix F: Effects of Hearing Loss 87
Appendix G: Examples of How People Use Sound to Manage 88
Reactions to Tinnitus
Appendix H: How to Choose Devices 93
Appendix I: Tips for Getting Better Sleep 99
Appendix J: Resources 102
References 104
Copies of Sound Plan Worksheet
Copies of Changing Thoughts Worksheet
Managing Your Tinnitus DVD
Managing Your Tinnitus, Sound Demonstration CD
Read Me First
• This workbook does not, and cannot, provide individual medical advice. It is
for general information purposes only. The information is not intended to be
a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment by a
physician who is aware of your medical history and has examined you. Do
not rely on this workbook in place of seeking professional medical advice.
• If you notice any significant change in hearing, tinnitus, or ear-related

medical problems, you should contact your primary care provider for referral
to an audiologist or ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) physician, as appropriate.
Audiologists do not prescribe medication (drugs). Any medication concerns
should be directed to your primary care provider or other physician.
• Please contact an audiologist if you have any questions regarding the

information contained in this workbook, or if you have questions about
tinnitus, hearing loss, or hearing aids.
• If you are a Veteran seeking a claim for service connected hearing loss or
tinnitus, you should contact your VA Regional Office or Veteran Service
Representative for information as to how to proceed.
• This workbook presents many different possible ways to manage reactions to

tinnitus. In general, VA endorses the method of Progressive Tinnitus
Management (PTM). PTM provides a hierarchical structure for providing
clinical services for tinnitus. That is, patients should receive services that
“progress” to higher levels as needed. Proper evaluation and provision of
appropriate education are essential with PTM. Also, PTM is patient-
centered and interdisciplinary, consistent with VA’s model of health care.
However, VA does not endorse any specific device for tinnitus management.
Any reference in this workbook (including photographs) to a device does not
constitute an endorsement. All of these references are for information
purposes only. Also, the methods and devices for managing reactions to
tinnitus that are described in this workbook may or may not be available at
your regional VA medical center. It is intended that PTM will be available at
all VA medical centers in the near future.
Part 1. Introduction
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a ringing, humming, buzzing, or other sound in your head or ears that
does not have an outside source. The sound comes from within your head. For
most people, tinnitus is a constant sound. Tinnitus is not a disease - it is a
symptom. (See Appendix A for a more complete description of tinnitus.)
It's Sound!
(no sound)
1
Should I See a Physician?
In most cases, having tinnitus does not mean that you need to see a physician.
However, in some cases it is very important to see a physician. If you
have tinnitus, you can use the guide below. It will help you decide if you need
to see a physician or other health professional.
1 If you experience any of the following:

• Injury to your body
• Weakness or paralysis of any muscles in your face
• Sudden unexplained hearing loss in one or both ears
Go to Emergency Care or to an ENT (Ear, Nose,
Throat) clinic immediately.

• Extreme anxiety or depression
• A current plan to end your life and a way to do it
Go to Emergency Care or to a Mental Health clinic
immediately.

• The tinnitus pulses with your heartbeat
• You have ear pain, drainage from your ear, or if there is a foul odor coming
from your ear
• You have vertigo (the feeling that you are moving or the room is moving
when neither is moving)
Go to an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) clinic or to a physician as soon as
possible.
2
4 If you have tinnitus, and all of the following are true:
• The tinnitus is a constant sound that does NOT pulse with your heartbeat
• You do NOT have ear pain, drainage from your ear, or foul odor coming from
your ear
• You do NOT have vertigo
• You do NOT have weakness or paralysis of any muscles in your face
• You do NOT have sudden unexplained hearing loss
See an audiologist sometime in the near future. (An audiologist is a
non-physician hearing healthcare provider.)
3
Tinnitus at a Glance
What Causes Tinnitus?
Anything that causes hearing loss also can cause tinnitus. The most common
cause of tinnitus is loud noise. Other causes include:
• Injury to the head or neck
• Various diseases
• Too much ear wax
• Stress
• Prescription drugs
In many cases, there is no known cause. To learn more about causes of tinnitus,
see Appendix B.
Can Tinnitus be Cured?

A cure for tinnitus would mean that some treatment could silence it. Although
research is being done to find a cure, there is no cure yet. There also is no safe
and consistent way to reduce the loudness of tinnitus. We cannot change the
tinnitus, but we can change our reactions to it. Changing reactions to tinnitus
can make it less of a problem. The key is to learn how to manage our reactions
to tinnitus. The goal is to feel better even though the tinnitus does not change.
Note: In this book we refer to “managing tinnitus.” We also refer to “tinnitus
management.” Both of these terms refer to managing reactions to tinnitus.
Again, we can’t change the loudness of tinnitus, but we can change how we
react to it.
How are Reactions to Tinnitus Managed?

Methods that are used in clinics include:
• Sound-based methods (Tinnitus Masking1, Tinnitus Retraining Therapy2,
Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment3)
• Education4
• Counseling/Psychotherapy (example: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy)5, 6
Each of these methods has been shown by research to help some people with
tinnitus. To learn more about these and other methods, see Appendix C.
4
Progressive Tinnitus Management
The suggestions in this book are based on the method of Progressive Tinnitus
Management (PTM).7-9 PTM was developed at the National Center for
Rehabilitative Auditory Research. The method is “progressive” because not
everyone needs the same amount of help. Some people with tinnitus only need
basic questions answered. Other people need more than that. Still others need
a great deal of help. With PTM, sound is used to manage reactions to tinnitus.
However, PTM differs from the sound-based methods listed above. PTM
teaches many different ways to use sound to manage tinnitus. Also, PTM
teaches ways to change your thoughts and feelings to cope with tinnitus.
What About “Alternative” Methods?

There are many “alternative” methods, including:
• Acupuncture
• Hypnosis
• Vitamins and herbs
• Homeopathy
None of these methods has been shown by research to help people with tinnitus
more than placebo.10 (A placebo is like a “sugar pill.”) To learn more about
alternative methods, see Appendix C.
Isn’t There a Drug for Tinnitus?

All drugs used for tinnitus are meant for other problems - like depression,
anxiety, and trouble sleeping.10 Some of these drugs can improve mood. A
better mood can help to make tinnitus less of a problem. In some cases, a drug
can reduce the loudness of tinnitus. However, drugs also can make tinnitus
louder. Any use of drugs for tinnitus involves trial-and-error. Because of
possible side effects, the use of drugs should be approached with caution. To
learn more about drugs and tinnitus, see Appendix C.
5
How Can This Workbook Help Me?
There are three basic ways to manage reactions to tinnitus: (1) education and
counseling; (2) using sound; and (3) changing thoughts and feelings. These are
things that you can do on your own if you know what to do. You can learn what
to do by reading this workbook.
1. Education
You may have been told in the past to “learn to live with it” and “nothing can be
done.” This is not true. Doing the activities in this workbook can help you learn
to manage your reactions to tinnitus and make it less of a problem.
2. Use of Sound
Most methods of tinnitus management involve using sound in some way. Part 2
of this workbook shows you how to use sound to manage reactions to tinnitus.
3. Changing Thoughts and Feelings

In Part 3 of this workbook you will learn:
• Two different ways to relax
• About planning pleasant activities
• How to change your thoughts about tinnitus
All of these are different ways for you to change your thoughts and feelings.
Changing your thoughts and feelings can help you manage your reactions to
tinnitus.
6
Goals of Tinnitus Management
(All Methods)
There are many methods for managing reactions to tinnitus. These methods are
not intended to make your tinnitus quieter. They are intended to help you feel
better - even if it’s just for a short time - without changing your tinnitus. The
more you practice feeling better, the easier it will become to feel OK with your
tinnitus just as it is. All of these methods have basically the same goals. They
are to:
Feel less stressed about tinnitus
Have fewer emotional reactions to tinnitus
Almost never think about tinnitus
Feel like tinnitus has little effect on daily activities (concentration, work,
sleep, etc.)
Feel like tinnitus is not much of a problem
Feel like there is no need for further help learning to manage tinnitus
All of these goals can be accomplished without changing your tinnitus. Go

ahead and check the boxes above for the goals that apply to you. Use the space
below to write down any other goals you have. Keep in mind that this workbook
can help you with tinnitus problems, but not with trouble hearing. For help with
trouble hearing, please talk to an audiologist.
7
What is your number one goal for managing your reactions to tinnitus?
8
Part 2. Step-by-Step Guide:
Using Sound to Manage
Reactions to Tinnitus
Tinnitus & Hearing Survey
Later on in this workbook, we will be discussing “Bob’s” problems with tinnitus
and how he learned how to manage them. Bob first filled out the Tinnitus and
Hearing Survey. His completed Survey is shown below. Please take a look at
how Bob filled out the Survey. Then, answer these questions for yourself on the
next page.
Tinnitus and Hearing Survey
te
blem big
blem era
blem l
pro smal
pro very
pro mod
pro not a
pro ig
blem
blem
,ab
,a
,a
,a
No,
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
A. Tinnitus
Over the last week, tinnitus kept me from 0 1 2 3 4
sleeping.

concentrating on reading.
Grand Total
relaxing.
Over the last week, I couldn’t get my mind 0 1 2 3 4
off of my tinnitus.
Total of each column
B. Hearing
Over the last week, I couldn’t understand what 0 1 2 3 4
others were saying in noisy or crowded places.
people were saying on TV or in movies.
Grand Total
Over the last week, I couldn’t understand 0 1 2 3 4

people with soft voices.
was being said in group conversations.
C. Sound Tolerance
Over the last week, everyday sounds were too 0 1 2 3 4
loud for me.*
If you responded 1, 2, 3 or 4 to the statement
above:
Being in a meeting with 5 to 10 people 0 1 2 3 4
would be too loud for me.*
*If sounds are too loud for you when wearing hearing aids, please tell your audiologist
9
Tinnitus and Hearing Survey
te
blem big
blem era
blem l
pro smal
pro very
pro mod
pro not a
pro big
blem
blem
,a
,a
,a
,a
No,
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
A. Tinnitus
sleeping.
concentrating on reading.
Grand Total
relaxing.
Over the last week, I couldn’t get my mind 0 1 2 3 4
off of my tinnitus.
B. Hearing
others were saying in noisy or crowded places.
people were saying on TV or in movies.
Grand Total
Over the last week, I couldn’t understand 0 1 2 3 4
people with soft voices.
was being said in group conversations.
C. Sound Tolerance
Over the last week, everyday sounds were too 0 1 2 3 4
loud for me.*
If you responded 1, 2, 3 or 4 to the statement

above:
Being in a meeting with 5 to 10 people 0 1 2 3 4
would be too loud for me.*
*If sounds are too loud for you when wearing hearing aids, please tell your audiologist
10
I Completed the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey -
What Does it Tell Me?
Sections A and B. Tinnitus problems are managed in a different way than
hearing problems. The problems in Section A of the Survey are tinnitus
problems. You can use this workbook to learn how to manage tinnitus problems.
The problems in Section B are hearing problems. This workbook does not
explain how to handle hearing problems. Any hearing professional can help you
learn how to manage hearing problems.
Section C. The two questions in section C are about trouble tolerating sound. If
you circled any number greater than “0,” then read Appendix D. If you circled
“2” or greater on the second question, please talk to a hearing professional.
Grand Totals for A and B

• If the Grand Total for A is greater than for B, then you probably have more
trouble with tinnitus than with hearing.
• If the Grand Total for B is greater than for A, then you probably have more
trouble with hearing than with tinnitus.
Note: Hearing problems are often helped by hearing aids. Hearing aids can also
make tinnitus less of a problem. To learn why hearing aids can be helpful for
tinnitus, please see Appendix C.
More Information. See Appendix E to learn more about the effects of tinnitus
and why it can be a problem. See Appendix F to learn more about the effects of
hearing loss.
11
Using Sound to Manage Reactions
to Tinnitus
In general, there are three types of sound that can be used to manage reactions to
tinnitus:
1 Soothing Sound - makes you feel better as soon as you hear it. It helps
reduce stress or tension caused by tinnitus.
2 Background Sound - reduces contrast between tinnitus and a quiet
environment. It makes it easier to ignore tinnitus.
3 Interesting Sound - keeps your attention. It helps shift attention away from
tinnitus.
Some types of sound can be used in more than one way at the same time. For
example, interesting sound can help to shift attention away from tinnitus. At the
same time it can help to reduce stress and tension from tinnitus. Some types of
sound can be used in all three ways at the same time. The circles in the figure
overlap as a reminder that the types of sound can overlap. Regardless of how
you use sound, the goal is to help you live with your tinnitus more comfortably.
We will now explain each of these three types of sound for managing tinnitus.
12
Environmental Sound, Music, and Speech
For each type of sound (soothing, background, interesting) you can use
environmental sound, music, or speech. Please see the Sound Grid below.
Note: Environmental sound is any sound that is not music or speech.
Environmental sounds can be nature sounds (like the sound of ocean waves or
insects), or manmade sounds (like fan noise and masking noise).
Sound Grid
The Sound Grid is shown below. It shows that each type of sound (soothing,
background, interesting) can be environmental sound, music, or speech. This
results in nine possible combinations. There is one checkmark on the Sound
Grid for each combination.
Sound Grid
Environmental Music Speech
Soothing   
Background   
Interesting   
13
Soothing Sound Soft breezes
What is Soothing Sound? Soothing voice
• Any sound that makes you feel better as soon as
Babbling brook
you hear it
• You can use environmental sound, music, or
TINNITUS
Relaxing music
speech as soothing sound
Running water
How can Soothing Sound Help? Ocean waves
• By giving you a sense of relief from tension and
Soothing sound
stress caused by tinnitus
When can I use Soothing Sound?

• Any time your tinnitus bothers you
Ernest uses nature sounds from his

tabletop sound generator to help
him get to sleep. The nature sounds
give him a sense of relief from stress
and tension caused by tinnitus. The
sense of relief makes it easier for
him to get to sleep.
Lee plays recordings of Hawaiian music

through his iPod while he is at work. The
music gives him a sense of relief from
stress and tension caused by his tinnitus.
The sense of relief makes it easier for him
to concentrate on his work.
Photo of HoMedics sound machine shown with permission from HoMedics, Inc.
Photo of iPod shown with permission from Apple, Inc.
14
Examples of Soothing Sound
Environmental Sound as Soothing Sound
• Ocean waves Environmental Music Speech
• Wind chimes
Soothing 
• Insect sounds
Background
• Masking noise
• Custom tinnitus-relief Interesting
sounds
• Any environmental sound that is soothing to you
Music as Soothing Sound

• Classical music
• New Age music Soothing 
• Relaxation music Background
• Music with a slow tempo Interesting
• Hawaiian music
• Any music that is soothing to you
Speech as Soothing Sound

• Recordings of relaxation Environmental Music Speech
exercises (Imagery, Deep Soothing 
Breathing, etc.)* (see
Background
page 89 in Appendix G)
• Recordings of meditation Interesting
exercises
• Any speech that is soothing to you
See pages 88-89 in Appendix G for examples of people using soothing sound
to manage tinnitus.
*The DVD and the CD in the back of this workbook both have recordings of
relaxation exercises (Imagery and Deep Breathing).
15
Using the Relief Scale for Soothing Sound Soft breezes
Soothing voice
The Relief Scale is shown below. It is used to rate how much Babbling brook
TINNITUS
relief from stress or tension you feel when you listen to a sound. Relaxing music
No relief means that there is no change in the stress or tension Running water
Ocean waves
caused by your tinnitus. Complete relief means that, with the
sound, the stress or tension caused by the tinnitus is completely gone. Soothing
sounds provide a sense of relief from stress or tension caused by tinnitus. You
can use the Relief Scale to help you learn which sounds are the most soothing to
you. It might take time and patience to find the soothing sounds that do the best
job of helping you to feel better.
Instructions:
1 Choose a sound that you think will be soothing. A soothing sound will
give you a sense of relief from stress or tension caused by tinnitus.
(Tracks 9-14 on the CD in the back of this workbook have sounds that are
soothing to many people.)
2 Adjust the volume of the sound until you find the level that is most
soothing to you.
3 Answer the question “When I listen to this sound, how much relief from
stress and tension do I feel?”
0 1 2 3 4 5
No Slight Mild Moderate Nearly Complete
relief relief relief relief complete relief
relief
Write down the sound that you How much relief did the sound give you?
listened to
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 1 2 3 4 5
0 1 2 3 4 5
16
Background Sound ound Othe
What is Background Sound? ther Sound Other
ther Sound Other Sou
• Any sound that is neutral (not soothing and not ther Sound Other Sound
interesting) Other Sound Other Sound
• You can use environmental sound, music, or
TINNITUS
Other Sound Other Sound
Other Sound Other Soun
speech as background sound ther Sound Other Sou
Other Sound Other
How Can Background Sound Help? ound Other
• Our brains are “wired” to notice contrast.
Background sound
There is a lot of contrast between tinnitus and a
quiet room. Adding background sound to a quiet
room reduces the contrast. The reduced contrast makes it easier to ignore
tinnitus.
• Go to pages 19-20 to learn more about why background sound makes it
easier to ignore tinnitus.
When can I use Background Sound?

• Any time your tinnitus bothers you
A constant background of sound can help you notice your tinnitus less
often. Background sound should always be set at a comfortable level. The
sound should become a natural part of your day. See Appendices G and H for
examples of ways to keep a constant background of sound.
Janet keeps a tabletop fountain running on her Aynun is using fan noise as
desk. The background sound from the fountain background sound to help her
makes it easier for her to ignore her tinnitus. concentrate on paying bills.
Photo of tabletop fountain shown with permission from HoMedics, Inc.

17
Examples of Background Sound
Environmental Sound as Background Sound
• Fan noise
• Waterfall or fountain Environmental Music Speech
noise Soothing
• Traffic noise
Background 
• Wind noise
• Radio static Interesting
• Fish tank noise

• Any sound that is neutral or pleasant
Music as Background Sound

• Classical music Environmental Music Speech
• Guitar or piano music Soothing
• New Age music Background 
• Music with lyrics in a
Interesting
foreign language
• “Elevator” music
• Any music that is neutral or pleasant
Speech as Background Sound

• Recorded crowd noise
Soothing
• Background television
or radio Background 
• Any speech that is not Interesting
interesting to you
See pages 90-91 in Appendix G for examples of people using background

sound to manage their reactions to tinnitus.
18
How does Contrast Reduction Make it Easier to ound Othe
ther Sound Other
Ignore Tinnitus? ther Sound Other Sound
TINNITUS
Imagine a lit candle in a dark room. The candle is the only Other Sound Other Soun
light in the room. There is sharp contrast between the bright Other Sound Other
ound Other
candle and the dark room. The candle naturally attracts a lot of
attention. Next, imagine the same lit candle, but now with the lights on in the
room. The contrast between the candle and the room has been reduced. The
candle is just as bright as before, but attracts less attention because now there is
other light in the room along with the candle.
19
Tinnitus and Background Sound ound Othe
ther Sound Other
Contrast reduction also works with sound. The sharp contrast ther Sound Other Sound
between tinnitus and a quiet room attracts attention. Adding TINNITUS
sound to the room reduces the contrast between the tinnitus Other Sound Other
ound Other
and the background. The tinnitus might be just as loud as it
was before adding sound to the room. However, it is easier for the brain to
ignore the tinnitus because there is other sound in the room.
The figure shows how this works. On the left side of the figure “tinnitus” is the
only word. When tinnitus is the only word it attracts a lot of attention. On the
right side of the figure, there are many words. When there are many words
“tinnitus” is easier to ignore, even though it has not changed.
Note: Sometimes background sound helps right away. Sometimes it takes weeks
or months before you notice that it is helping.
20
Tinnitus Contrast Activity ound Othe
ther Sound Other
ther Sound Other Sound
Instructions: Other Sound Other Sound
TINNITUS
1 Spend a few moments listening to your tinnitus in quiet. ther Sound Other Sou
Other Sound Other
ound Other
2 Now turn on some background sound. The sound should be
pleasant or neutral. (Tracks 20-23 on the CD in the back of this workbook
have sounds that are neutral to many people.)
3 Adjust the volume to a comfortable level.
4 Notice the reduced contrast.
5 Reducing contrast makes it easier to ignore your tinnitus.
Write down the sound Write any comments you have about using
that you listened to this sound as background sound
21
Interesting Sound
What is Interesting Sound? Audio Books!
• Sound that keeps your attention Talk Radio!
• Sound that you actively listen to
TINNITUS
• You can use environmental sound, music, or Interesting Music!
speech as interesting sound
Dynamic
How can Interesting Sound Help? Speech!
• By helping you shift your attention away from Interesting sound
your tinnitus
When can Interesting Sound Help?

• When you do not need to concentrate on something else
• When you want to relax or sleep*
*Note: Interesting sound can be a powerful way to get your mind off of your
tinnitus. This helps some people relax enough to get to sleep. It might not be
helpful for others. Be open to using sound in surprising or unusual ways to
manage your tinnitus!
James is listening to an audiobook

on his MP3 player. Listening to an
audiobook helps him shift his
attention away from his tinnitus.
Patrick is talking on the telephone with a

friend. Talking on the telephone helps him
keep his mind off of his tinnitus.
22
Examples of Interesting Sound
Environmental Sound as Interesting Sound
Active listening to:
• Whale sounds
Soothing
• Bird calls
• Morse code Background
• Forest sounds at night Interesting 
• Any environmental sound
that is interesting to you
Music as Interesting Sound

• Song lyrics Environmental Music Speech
• Various instruments Soothing
in a piece of music
Background
• Live musical
performance Interesting 
• Any music that is
interesting to you
Speech as Interesting Sound

• A friend Environmental Music Speech
• Community lecture Soothing
• Audiobook
Background
• Talk radio
Interesting 
• Podcast
• Any speech that is
interesting to you
See pages 91-92 in Appendix G for examples of people using interesting sound
to manage their reactions to tinnitus.
23
Using the Attention Scale for Interesting Sound
The Attention Scale is shown below. It is used to rate how well Audio Books!
Talk Radio!
a sound keeps your attention off of your tinnitus. You can use TINNITUS
the Attention Scale to figure out which sounds work best for Interesting Music!
Dynamic
keeping your attention. It may take time and patience to find Speech!
sounds that do the best job of shifting your thoughts away from
your tinnitus.
Instructions:
1 Choose a sound that you think will keep your attention. (Tracks 15-19 on
the CD in the back of this workbook have sounds that are interesting to
many people.)
2 Listen to the sound for at least 1 minute.
3 Choose the percent of attention focused on the sound while listening to it.
Attention focused on:

Tinnitus Other Sound
0% of attention focused on Other Sound
Write down the sound that you How much of your attention was focused
listened to on the “Other Sound”?
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
24
Test Your Understanding
How is Martha Using Sound to Manage Tinnitus?
Challenging Situation: Martha reads a lot of books. She has always enjoyed
reading in a quiet area of her house. When her tinnitus started, she felt tense
whenever she tried to read there. This made concentration and reading difficult.
Sound Plan: Martha discovered that turning on soft classical music helped her
feel less tense and more relaxed. Once she was feeling more relaxed, it was
easier for her to concentrate on reading.
Is Martha using . . . Soothing sound? Background sound? Interesting sound?
Answer:
• Soothing sound, because the sound is giving Martha a sense of relief from
stress and tension.
• It is also background sound because any use of sound reduces the contrast
between the tinnitus and the sound environment.
• It is not interesting sound because she is not paying attention to the sound;
also, she should not use interesting sound when reading a book, which
requires concentration.
How is Ben Using Sound to Manage Tinnitus?

Challenging Situation: Ben is retired. He likes to relax after breakfast, but is
bothered by his tinnitus.
Sound Plan: Ben enjoys listening to bird calls. He can identify many local
birds by their calls. After breakfast he sits on his back porch and listens to bird
calls. Other times he goes on-line to learn new bird calls. Listening to bird calls
is interesting to Ben, and helps to get his mind off of his tinnitus.
Is Ben using . . . Soothing sound? Background sound? Interesting sound?
Answer:
• Interesting sound, because Ben actively listens to the sound, which takes his
mind off of his tinnitus.
• It is also background sound because any use of sound reduces the contrast
between tinnitus and the sound environment.
• It may also be soothing sound if Ben feels a sense of relief from stress and
tension; this is not clear from the information provided.
25
How is Betty Using Sound to Manage Tinnitus?
Challenging Situation: Betty works at home. She spends most of her day
working on the computer. The room is very quiet and her tinnitus makes it hard
for her to concentrate. She tried playing music, but it was too distracting.
Sound Plan: She then tried opening the window. She could hear traffic noise
from the freeway, which reduced the contrast between her tinnitus and the quiet
room without creating a distraction. It is now easier for her to concentrate on
her work.
Is Betty using . . . Soothing sound? Background sound? Interesting sound?
Answer:
• Background sound, because it is neither soothing nor interesting to Betty.
Video: “Managing Your Tinnitus: What To Do and How

To Do It”
There is a video on DVD that came with this workbook (“Managing Your
Tinnitus: What To Do and How To Do It.”) The video has two sessions that
teach how sound is used to manage reactions to tinnitus. It also shows how to
develop a personal “sound plan,” which is described in the next section of this
workbook. The video may help you to understand these concepts. Try to watch
the video at least once. If you do not have a DVD player, you can use the
instructions in this workbook instead - or go to your public library to view the
video.
26
Develop a Personal “Sound Plan”
The Sound Plan Worksheet provides step-by-step instructions to create your own
“sound plan” to manage your tinnitus. (An example of a completed Sound Plan
Worksheet is shown on page 30.) Use the Tinnitus Problem Checklist (p. 29) to
list up to three situations when your tinnitus is bothersome. For each
situation that you list, use a separate Sound Plan Worksheet. (Blank Worksheets
are provided at the end of this workbook.) Each Worksheet helps you to develop
a “plan of action” to use sound to manage your reactions to tinnitus. Try each
plan of action for 1 week. Then note on the Worksheet how helpful it was.
Key Points for Your First Sound Plan Worksheet

Your first plan should be something you can do easily on your own. Create a
plan using sounds and sound sources that you already have.
• Sounds can be any kind of environmental sound, music, or speech
• Sound sources can include CD players, tabletop fountains, radios, electric
fans - anything that creates a sound (see Appendix H for ideas)
As you try your first plan, you will begin learning what is helpful for you.
• You can then make changes to improve your plan
Ongoing Use of the Sound Plan Worksheet

It takes trial and error to learn what works best in each situation. Use the
Worksheet on a regular basis to change and improve your sound plans. Also, use
the Worksheet to create new sound plans for different situations. Continue using
the Worksheet for as long as your tinnitus is a problem.
How to Fill Out the Sound Plan Worksheet

See the example of a completed Sound Plan Worksheet on page 30. The
example Worksheet was completed for “Bob,” who is described below.
Bob
Bob had trouble falling asleep at night because he was annoyed by the sound
of his tinnitus in his quiet bedroom. He tried listening to books on CD, but that
was not helpful. He tried watching television. That was only a little helpful.
Then he tried listening to talk radio. That was very helpful.
27
He now listens to talk radio while falling asleep at night. Listening to the radio
helps to keep his mind off of his tinnitus so that he can relax enough to get to
sleep. He uses a small portable radio connected to earbuds. The radio turns off
automatically after 60 minutes. He usually falls asleep with the earbuds still in
his ears. He removes the earbuds when he wakes up.
Listening to talk radio helped Bob get to sleep at night. But when he woke up
in the middle of the night, he did not want to listen to the radio. He decided to
purchase a box fan that he placed next to his bed. The sound of the fan reduces
the contrast between his tinnitus and the quiet environment. This makes it easier
to fall back to sleep.
28
Tinnitus Problem Checklist
1. My most bothersome tinnitus situation is:
Falling asleep at night Relaxing in my recliner
Staying asleep at night Napping during the day
Waking up in the morning Planning activities
Reading Driving
Working at the computer Other
Now, write your answer on #1 of the Sound Plan Worksheet.

(Copies of the Worksheet can be found at the end of this
workbook.)
2. My second most bothersome tinnitus situation is:

Reading Driving
Now, write your answer on #1 of a separate Sound Plan Worksheet.
3. My third most bothersome tinnitus situation is:

Reading Driving
Now, write your answer on #1 of a separate Sound Plan Worksheet.
29
30
How do I fill out #1 on the Sound Plan Worksheet?
First, fill out the Tinnitus Problem Checklist (page 29).
31
Write one bothersome situation from the Tinnitus Problem Checklist at the top
of the Worksheet (#1). (see below)
• If this is your first time filling out the Worksheet, use #1 from the Checklist.
• Fill out a separate Worksheet for each problem listed on the Tinnitus Problem
Checklist.
32
For #2 of the Worksheet, check one, two, or all three types of sound. Choose
types of sound that you think will help you with the problem listed in #1 of the
Worksheet. If the problem you listed requires concentration, then do not choose
interesting sound.
• A description of soothing sound is on page 14
• A description of background sound is on page 17
• A description of interesting sound is on page 22
• Sample recordings of soothing, background, and interesting sounds are on the
CD in the back of this workbook.
33
For each type of sound that you chose for #2, write the specific sounds that
you will try.
• Ideas for soothing sound are on pages 14-15 and 88-89
• Ideas for background sound are on pages 17-18 and 90-91
• Ideas for interesting sound are on pages 22-23 and 91-92
34
For each sound that you listed under #3, write in the device(s) you will use.
• If this is your first time filling out a Worksheet, write in devices that you
already have
• Once you have used the Worksheet at least once, you can start thinking about
using devices you do not yet own
• Appendix H gives ideas for devices to use as sources of sound
35
How do I fill out #5 on the Worksheet?
• Use your sound plan for at least one week
• Rate each sound after trying it for at least one week
• Use the ratings under #5 to help guide changes and improvements in your
plan
36
Part 3. Step-by-Step Guide:
Changing Thoughts and
Feelings to Manage Reactions
to Tinnitus
Many people put a lot of time, effort, and money into trying to quiet their
tinnitus. This is normal because quieting the tinnitus would solve the problem.
However, there is no cure for tinnitus for most people. Usually the more people
try to quiet their tinnitus, the more frustrated they become. In spite of all of their
efforts they usually end up feeling worse.
There are many ways to feel better without quieting your tinnitus. You’ve
already learned about three types of sound you can use to manage your reactions
to tinnitus. Using sound is something you can do to help you feel better. Using
sound is a behavior.
In this chapter, you will now learn more behaviors to manage your reactions to
tinnitus, including:
1 Practicing relaxation exercises
2 Increasing pleasant activities
3 Learning how to change your thoughts about your tinnitus
These may be new behaviors for you. You can learn and practice these new
behaviors. Then you will have new skills to manage your reactions to tinnitus.
Note about sleep: Getting enough sleep can help you feel better and think more
clearly. Getting enough sleep can make it easier for you to manage your
tinnitus. Appendix I gives tips for getting better sleep.
37
Relaxation Exercises
breathe
Many people with tinnitus say stress makes their
tinnitus worse. Relaxation exercises can reduce
stress. These exercises can slow down your Relax
breathing and reduce your heart rate. This
workbook provides instructions for two relaxation
exercises:
imagine
1 Deep Breathing
2 Imagery Relaxation exercises
What is Deep Breathing?

• Focusing on your breathing to help you relax
What is Imagery?
• Imagining a calming and peaceful place
How can Deep Breathing and Imagery Help?

• By slowing down your body
• By helping you get your mind off of your tinnitus5
• By helping you feel relaxed and calm
- Feeling relaxed and calm can help you:
Feel a sense of relief from tension and stress caused by tinnitus
Think more clearly and function better
Feel better overall
When can I use Deep Breathing and Imagery?

• Any time you feel stressed or tense
Prepare to begin Deep Breathing and Imagery

1 Find a relaxing place where you will not be disturbed. If needed, take the
phone off the hook and ask others to give you this time alone. Loosen any
tight clothing or change into comfortable clothes.

38
2 Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or propped up. Place your
hands in your lap or on the arms of the chair. Make sure you are
comfortable.
3 Turn on a soothing sound. Avoid silence while you are practicing deep
breathing or imagery. You might have a soothing sound on your Sound
Plan (from Part 2 of this workbook) that you can use. If not, turn on music
or other sound that helps you feel calm. If you prefer, you can use
background sound while you are deep breathing.
Deep Breathing Instructions Step-by-Step

1 Prepare to begin by following steps 1-3 above
2 Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Take a
normal breath in and notice which hand moves the most. Most likely it will
be the hand on your chest. This shows that you tend to breathe shallow
breaths from your chest. Now try to take a breath from your abdomen
(stomach). You might feel like you are pushing your stomach out - that is
how it feels when you are more relaxed and breathing more deeply.
39
3 Close your eyes (if you are comfortable doing so) or look at an object in the
room like a book on the bookshelf
4 Take a deep breath in through your nose - slowly for a count of three.
(Remember to use your stomach first and let your chest expand naturally
after that.)
5 Hold that breath for two seconds and then exhale for a count of three from
your mouth
6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 at least five times
7 When you are ready to stop the Deep Breathing exercise, count back from
3 to 1:
3 - Become aware of your surroundings
2 - Move your feet, legs, hands, arms, and rotate your head
1 - Open your eyes feeling relaxed
Imagery
Choose a Calming and Peaceful Place to Imagine

Before you begin, choose a place you will imagine. You can imagine any place
that would be calming and peaceful for you. You should feel safe there.
When you are choosing what you will imagine, think about these things:
• The place: Where do you want to be?
Examples: the beach or in your kitchen
• Sight: What do you see?
Examples: trees, grass, the sun, or an oven
• Smell: What do you smell?
Examples: the ocean, pine, flowers, or cooking food
• Sounds: What do you hear?
Examples: birds, twigs cracking, soft waves, or boiling water
• Touch: What do you feel?
Examples: a cool breeze, the warm sun, or heat from cooking
• Taste: What can you taste?
Examples: salty air, sweet berries, cool water, or warm food
40
Imagery Instructions Step-by-Step
1 Prepare to begin by following steps 1 through 3 on page 38
2 Take several deep breaths and shift your focus to the peaceful image you
chose.
3 As you focus your thoughts on your peaceful place:
• Imagine a path you travel on as you journey through your place.
Example: As you look back notice your footprints in the sand where you
have just walked along the shore. Slowly, a wave moves in and washes
away the sand.
• Imagine what you hear, smell, and taste.
• Imagine reaching out and touching things around you.
Example: Notice how the sand or a leaf feels as you hold it in your hand.
• As you imagine your relaxing place, move deeper and deeper into the
image. You should feel calm and peaceful there.
• Notice how your body feels - you will want to return to this feeling next
time.
4 When you are ready to stop imagining the peaceful place, count back from
3 to 1:
3 - Become aware of your surroundings
2 - Move your feet, legs, hands, arms, and rotate your head
1 - Open your eyes feeling relaxed
41
Practice Video: Deep Breathing and Imagery
There is a video on the DVD that came with this workbook (“Managing Your
Tinnitus, Deep Breathing Exercise”). It shows a man using deep breathing to
relax. Later, he uses imagery to relax when his tinnitus is bothering him at
work. You can watch the video to learn deep breathing and imagery. Try to
watch the video at least once. You can keep using the video while you practice,
or you can begin doing the exercises on your own. If you do not have a DVD
player, you can use the instructions in this workbook instead - or go to your
public library to view the video.
42
Relief Scale
The Relief Scale is shown below. Use it to rate how much relief from stress
or tension you feel after using deep breathing or imagery. No relief means that
there is no change in the stress or tension caused by your tinnitus. Complete
relief means that the stress or tension caused by the tinnitus is completely gone.
Learning to relax using deep breathing and imagery takes time and practice.
You can use the Relief Scale to track your progress.
Instructions
• Get into a comfortable position
• Follow the instructions for deep breathing (p. 39) or imagery (p. 41)
• Fill out the chart below to track your progress
0 1 2 3 4 5
No Slight Mild Moderate Nearly Complete
relief relief relief relief complete relief
relief
Minutes Practiced
Date Time of Day Deep Breathing Imagery Relief
Example:
June 5, 2009 10:00am 5 mins 0 3
June 5, 2009 10:05am 0 5 mins 4
43
Pleasant Activity Scheduling
What are pleasant activities?
• Activities you enjoy golf, write, walk
• Activities you like to do but do not have to do
Pleasant
How can pleasant activities help me activities
manage my reactions to tinnitus?
• By helping you have more positive feelings
dance, paint
• By distracting you from your tinnitus
Plan pleasant activities
• By helping you feel better overall
What You Do Affects How You Feel

Some people with tinnitus feel like they can’t enjoy life again unless the
tinnitus is quieter or gone. Because of this, they may stop doing many of their
usual activities - especially activities they enjoy. If you are doing fewer
activities because of tinnitus, then you are more likely to be focused on your
tinnitus, and you are more likely to feel unhappy. [Note: If you are stopping
activities because of trouble hearing, then that is a separate concern - please see
Appendix F.]
One way to start feeling better is to plan pleasant activities even when your
tinnitus is bothering you. Pleasant activities can help you enjoy life and pay less
attention to your tinnitus. At first, you might feel like you are “relearning” how
to enjoy pleasant activities. The activities might be harder to enjoy than they
were without tinnitus. With time, you can learn to enjoy the activities even with
tinnitus.
Activity Planning
What kinds of activities fill your day? Are they all tasks you feel you “have to
do?” Do you have any activities you enjoy during the day?
One way to increase pleasant activities is to plan ahead. This may sound
simple, but most of the time we wait until we feel better to do something we
enjoy. If you let how you feel guide what you do, then you may end up staying
home and not doing anything. If you schedule pleasant activities you will find it
44
easier to do something you enjoy. As a result, you may feel more pleasure!
We will ask you to keep track of your activities. This will help you be aware of
how you spend each day. Once you see what you are doing now, then you can
begin to change or increase your pleasant activities.
Consider these specific categories of activities during the upcoming week:
1 Activities you feel you have to do
2 Activities you like to do
Increasing Pleasant Activities - Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Track Your Activities. Use the “Track Your Activities” worksheet
below. When you do an activity, write it down along with the day and time.
Then, choose from the two categories of activities:
1 Activities you have to do
2 Activities you like to do
This shows the kinds of activities you are doing. If you don’t see many #2’s
then you need more pleasant activities in your life! Plan at least one pleasant
activity each day.
Step 2: Make a List of Pleasant Activities. Identify pleasant activities that you
would enjoy. Use the “Make a List of Pleasant Activities” form below. Choose
10 pleasant activities that you would enjoy. These activities can be with other
people or by yourself. Make sure that the activity is pleasant for you.
Step 3: Plan Pleasant Activities. Sometimes it’s hard to fit everything you want
to do into your schedule. Unless you plan the activity by scheduling it, you may
continue with your routine as it is. Try to plan at least one pleasant activity per
day by using your own calendar or scheduler. Write down how long you will do
the activity and when you will do it. These activities can be done alone or with
other people. Just be sure the activity is pleasant for you.
45
Step 1: Track Your Activities. Directions: Write down your activities over the
next 6 days. Fill in the Day of the week, the Activity during each Time frame,
and the Category of the activity.
Activity Category
Day Time Activity Have to do = 1
Like to do = 2
Example:
Morning Example: Went to work 1
Day 1 Afternoon Example: Still at work, worked out at the gym 1, 1
Monday
Evening
Example: Made dinner, cleaned up the kitchen,
watched TV
1, 1, 2
Morning
Day 1 Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Day 2 Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Day 3 Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Day 4 Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Day 5 Afternoon
Evening
Morning
Day 6 Afternoon
Evening
Total #1’s = _____
Total #2’s = _____
46
Step 2: Make a List of Pleasant Activities. Before you can plan pleasant
activities, you first need to know what activities you would enjoy. Below are
some types of pleasant activities. List only activities you would enjoy.
Type of Activity Example Activity Activity

Social Dinner with friends
Recreational Taking dance lessons
Sporting Playing golf
Creative Writing poetry
Educational Taking a history class

Solitary A walk in the woods
Artistic Painting
Pampering Getting a massage
Musical Playing the piano

Interest-oriented Collecting old cameras
Travel Going to Hawaii
Food Baking bread
[Note: these categories adapted from JL Henry and Wilson6]
Step 3: Plan Pleasant Activities. The last step is to plan your activities. On
your own calendar write down one pleasant activity you will do each day. After
you do this for 1 week, look back at days when you did not do a pleasant
activity. Ask yourself:
1 Did I do all of my scheduled pleasant activities each day?
2 Why didn’t I do some or all of my activities as planned?
3 Did I notice my tinnitus less when I did these activities?
4 Would more activities help me get my mind off of my tinnitus?
5 Do I need to have more or fewer pleasant activities?
47
Changing Thoughts
Think
What does “Changing Thoughts”
mean?
• First you identify thoughts you had just before
feeling bad Feel
• Then you work on changing that thought to
something that is more helpful
Changing thoughts
How can “Changing Thoughts” help?
• Changing your thoughts about tinnitus can help you change the way you feel
about it
When can I use “Changing Thoughts”?

• Any time you feel tension or stress when you think about your tinnitus
Thoughts Affect Feelings

What you think affects how you feel. For example, imagine you are expecting
guests to come to your house for dinner and they don’t show up on time. The
thoughts you have about your guests being late will affect how you feel (your
emotions). If you think “it’s rude to be late,” then you might get angry. If you
think “it’s nice to have extra time to clean up,” then you may feel relieved. If
you think “they could have been in an accident,” then you might become
worried. In this example, the event is the same, but your thoughts about the
event are different. Sometimes the way you feel is caused by the thoughts about
the event, not the event itself.
What thoughts do you have about your tinnitus? When you think about tinnitus,
how do you feel?
Feelings Affect Health

What you think affects how you feel, and your feelings affect your health. Stress
and negative emotions can lead to many health problems.2 In times of stress our
brains release hormones into our bodies. These hormones increase heart rate,
blood pressure, and muscle tension. The changes caused by these hormones
help us react to emergencies. However, if our brains release these hormones too
48
often it is bad for our health. People who are stressed for a long time may be
more likely to get colds, heart disease, and other health problems. This is why it
is so important to learn how to change your thoughts that cause negative
feelings.
Positive Negative
feelings feelings
Good health Poor health
Thought Errors
Sometimes people get in the habit of having thoughts that are not helpful.
Thoughts that are not helpful or unhealthy are called “thought errors.” You may
feel bad or get upset out of habit and find out later that the reason you got upset
was your own “thought error.”11
All people make thought errors from time to time. Many people make thought
errors that cause them to feel sad or upset. If
you are aware of the most common thought
errors, you can catch yourself and correct
your thinking. Read the list of thought
errors below. Think about which ones “Thought
are familiar to you.11 Remember: Errors”
thought errors are very common.
49
Twelve Common Thought Errors:
1 All-or-nothing thinking: When you see things in only two categories such
as black or white.
Example: You see yourself as a failure if you are not perfect.
Example: “Nothing I ever do is right.”
Tinnitus example: “If my tinnitus is loud when I wake up in the morning I
know I will have a bad day.”
Corrected thought: “I’m learning ways to have a good day even when my
tinnitus is loud.”
My example: _________________________________________________
2 Over-simplifying: When you see one bad event as a pattern that never
changes.
Example: You get on the wrong train one time and think, “I’ll never learn
how to use the subway.”
Tinnitus example: “I was awake all night from my tinnitus. This will
happen every night.”
Corrected thought: “Last night my tinnitus kept me awake, but most nights
I eventually fall asleep.”
My example: _________________________________________________
3 Focusing on wrong details: When you pick out a single detail and focus on
it. You don’t think about other more positive details.
Example: “I got a 60% on my math homework. I’m a terrible student.”
Tinnitus example: “My tinnitus made it hard to enjoy dinner with a friend.”
Corrected thought: “My tinnitus was really loud at dinner. However, it
was great to see my friend again and to catch up.”
My example: _________________________________________________
50
4 Jumping to conclusions: When you think an event was unpleasant even
though there are no facts to support that. You might assume that you know
what someone else is thinking or assume things will turn out badly.
Example: “If I go to the party then I won’t know anyone and will not have
fun.”
Tinnitus example: “My tinnitus kept me awake last night. The next day
I met a friend for coffee. I was really tired and didn’t talk much. I’ll bet he
thought I was boring.”
Corrected thought: “It was difficult to be so tired all day. I told my friend
about my tinnitus keeping me awake. He was very supportive.”
My example: _________________________________________________
5 Over-estimating: When you think things are more important than they
really are (such as your goof-up or someone else’s success).
Example: “She turned me down when I asked her to go on a date with me.
I don’t know how to talk to women. I’ll be alone forever.”
Tinnitus example: “My tinnitus makes me moody. No one wants to be
around me.”
Corrected thought: “Sometimes I’m moody and other times I am in a great
mood. I have friends who know me and understand me.”
My example: _________________________________________________
6 Under-estimating: When you think things are less important than they
really are (such as your success or someone else’s faults).
Example: “I know I got a 95% on the test but I could have done better.”
Tinnitus example: “I know I learned how to get to sleep even though my
tinnitus is loud. I also started using soothing sound for my tinnitus at work.
Even so, I’ll never learn to deal with my tinnitus.”
Corrected thought: “I can deal with my tinnitus by making small changes.
It may not be gone, but I don’t notice my tinnitus as often.”
My example: _________________________________________________
51
7 Assuming the worst: When you think something is much worse than it
really is.
Example: A woman who got a low grade on a quiz thinks it’s the end of her
college career.”
Tinnitus example: “I’m going to become deaf from my tinnitus.”
Corrected thought: “My doctor said tinnitus won’t make me deaf. It just
feels strange to hear this ringing in my ears all the time and not know why.”
My example: _________________________________________________
8 Emotional thoughts: When you think that your emotions show the way
things really are. You might think, “I feel it, so it must be true.”
Example: “I feel like I’m the only one who cleans up around here so you
must not be helping.”
Tinnitus example: “I feel like no one knows what I am going through with
my tinnitus. I feel all alone.”
Corrected thought: “People know what I am going through when I explain
tinnitus to them.
My example: _________________________________________________
9 “Should” statements: When you say “should” and “shouldn’t” to try to get
yourself to do hard tasks. These statements tend to make you feel guilty.
Also included are statements with the words “must” and “ought.”
Example: “I should eat healthier and stop eating food I like.”
Tinnitus example: “I should not have to deal with tinnitus during the best
years of my life.”
Corrected thought: “Tinnitus isn’t what I expected when I retired, but I can
deal with it.”
My example: _________________________________________________
52
10 Labeling: Attaching a bad label to yourself or others.
Example: “He lost his keys so he’s stupid.”
Tinnitus example: “I can’t deal with my tinnitus so I’m a weak person.”
Corrected thought: “Sometimes it’s hard to deal with my tinnitus. I do my
best to stay healthy and active. I practice methods for managing my
reactions to tinnitus from the workbook. However, sometimes the tinnitus
still bothers me. That is normal.”
My example: _________________________________________________
11 Making Things Personal: You see yourself as the cause of some negative
event when you are not responsible. You ignore other details.
Example: “My doctor was not nice to me because I was sick.”
Tinnitus example: “My tinnitus made it hard for me to enjoy the picnic. I
caused everyone else to have a bad time, too.”
Corrected thought: “My tinnitus made it hard for me to enjoy the picnic.
No one can have fun all of the time.”
My example: _________________________________________________
12 Blaming: You blame others for your problems. You may also blame
yourself for other people’s problems.
Example: “I didn’t get the job because you didn’t call to give me a pep-talk
before my meeting.”
Tinnitus example: “My tinnitus wouldn’t be a problem if my wife was more
supportive.”
Corrected thought: “It would be helpful if my wife was more supportive.
Either way I would have to work at dealing with my tinnitus.”
My example: _________________________________________________
53
Correcting Thought Errors
So how can you control negative feelings? Your thoughts determine the feelings
you experience. You may not be able to change events, or tinnitus. However,
the way you think about an event is under your control. Change your thoughts,
and your feelings will change too. Next you will learn a step-by-step approach
to changing thoughts.
Changing Thoughts - Step-by-Step:

Please use the Changing Thoughts Exercise form on p. 56 to complete the steps
below.
Step 1: Event. Identify what was going on when you started feeling bad - what
happened? Sometimes it is hard to remember the event that was happening that
made you feel bad until later. If this is the case for you, go to the second step
and come back to this step later.
Step 2: Thoughts. Now try to write down a thought you had just before you
started feeling bad or upset. What was the first thought that came into your
mind? You may have had many thoughts just before you started feeling bad. If
you had more than one thought, pick the one that made you feel the worst.
Step 3: Feelings. Write down any bad or upsetting feelings you are having. For
example, sad, angry, jealous, or disappointed.
Step 4: Evidence for. Examine the thought you described in Step 2. Write
down evidence that this statement is true where it says “Evidence For” below.
Our thoughts often have some truth to them, but some have many more errors.
Write down what is true about the thought in the “Evidence For” box.
Step 5: Evidence against. Again, examine the thought you described in Step 2.
Identify evidence that this statement is not true. In the next box where it says
“Evidence Against” write down reasons the thought may not be true. Can you
identify any of the 12 thought errors from the list? (You can have more than one
thought error in one thought.)
Step 6: New positive thought. Write down a new thought about the event that
is more helpful. This step requires a lot of practice. With practice it will
become more natural to create new positive thoughts. Sometimes it helps to say
54
statements that apply to many things. For example, “I am whole and complete,”
or “I love and accept myself.”
New positive thoughts should be:
• brief
• easy to remember
• thoughts you believe are true
• thoughts that apply to your life
• helpful
Step 7: Feelings when you think the new thought. As you practice, pay
attention to how you feel when you have positive thoughts instead of negative
thoughts. Do you notice your tinnitus as much? Are your muscles relaxed?
Step 8: Picture yourself in the future. Look at the negative thought from Step
1 again. Think of a time in the future when you might have that thought again.
Picture yourself thinking the positive thought from Step 6 instead.
55
56
The Changing Thoughts and Feelings
Worksheet
Next you will learn about the Changing Thoughts and Feelings Worksheet. You
will use this Worksheet to develop a “plan of action” to change your thoughts
and feelings about tinnitus. You learned three skills in this section (Part 3): (1)
relaxation exercises; (2) pleasant activity scheduling; and (3) changing thoughts.
You will be able to choose from these three skills when you make your “plan of
action.”
Blank Changing Thoughts and Feelings Worksheets are in the back of this
workbook. They are on the back side of the Sound Plan Worksheets. Steps for
completing the Changing Thoughts and Feelings Worksheet are listed
below. There is an example of a completed Worksheet on page 59. The
example Worksheet was completed for “Joe.” “Joe” is described on page 60.
Steps for Completing the Worksheet

1 Use the Tinnitus Problem Checklist (p. 29) to list situations when your
tinnitus is most bothersome.
2 For each situation that you list, use a separate Changing Thoughts and
Feelings Worksheet.
a Write the situation at the top of the Worksheet (#1)
b Decide which of the three skills you will use to manage this
situation (#2 on the Worksheet)
c Write down the details for each skill you will use (#3)
d Write down how you feel after doing the exercise (#4)
3 Try each skill you chose at least three times over the next week (#4 on
the Worksheet).
4 Rate how helpful each trial was (#4).
5 At any time, write down what works and what doesn’t work (#5).
57
Ongoing Use of the Worksheet
It takes trial and error to learn what works best in each situation. Use the
Worksheet on a regular basis to change and improve your action plans. Also,
use the Worksheet to create new plans for different situations. Learning to
change your thoughts and feelings takes time and practice. If the exercises don’t
help right away, keep practicing. They can become more useful over time.
58
59
Changing Thoughts and Feelings Example: “Joe”
Joe works in an office on a computer all day. Because of his tinnitus, it is hard
for him to concentrate on his work. Using the Sound Plan Worksheet, Joe found
that keeping his radio on helped him to notice his tinnitus less. The radio is all
he needs to help him concentrate during normal work days. However, when he
is really stressed he still has a hard time concentrating.
Joe now takes a break when he feels very stressed and cannot concentrate. He
practices imagery for 10 minutes and then goes back to working. Practicing
imagery helps Joe get his mind completely off of his tinnitus for a short time.
That helps him relax. Once he is relaxed it is much easier for him to concentrate
on his work.
When Joe is especially frustrated, he tries to identify an event that made him feel
that way. He then identifies thoughts he is having about the event. He writes
down more positive thoughts and keeps them on a post-it note on his computer.
This helps Joe have more realistic and helpful thoughts. As a result, he feels less
frustration and stress.
Joe enjoys walking. He now takes a walk during his lunch. This pleasant activity
helps Joe get his mind off of his tinnitus.
Summary
In this section (Part 3) you learned things you can do (skills) to change your
reactions to tinnitus and to feel better. They are Relaxation Exercises, Pleasant
Activity Scheduling, and Changing Thoughts. In Part 2 you learned about using
sound in different ways to manage your reactions to tinnitus. Experiment with
all of the ideas that you learned about in Parts 2 and 3. As you experiment you
will get better at managing your tinnitus. You also will learn which ideas work
best for you.
Some people may need more help dealing with their tinnitus and other problems.
Contact a mental health provider right away if you feel very sad or worried. A
mental health provider can talk to you about your tinnitus or any other problem.
This provider can help you find more ways to deal with your tinnitus and
problems in your life.
If you want to hurt yourself or are suicidal, go to your local emergency room
immediately or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline toll free: 1-800-
273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255.
60
Part 4. Protect Your Ears!
In Part 1 we explained that we cannot change the tinnitus. But, we can change
our reactions to it. Parts 2 and 3 gave step-by-step instructions to learn how to
manage reactions to tinnitus. Part 4 focuses on protecting your ears from very
loud sound.
Loud noise can cause hearing loss and tinnitus. If you already have hearing
loss or tinnitus, loud noise can cause more damage and make the tinnitus worse.
The louder a sound is, the faster it can damage your hearing (see figure on next
page). Power tools, lawnmowers, and chain saws are very loud. You should
never use them without hearing protection (earplugs and/or earmuffs). Loud
music, whether live or recorded, can cause damage. (If you listen to music for
your tinnitus, you should always play the music at soft levels.) Even
traffic noise can cause damage if you are exposed to it for many hours in one
day. Driving with the window open for several hours at a time can cause noise
damage, especially in the ear by the window.
You should always wear hearing protection when you are around loud noise.
You need to find hearing protection that is handy and easy to use. There are
many different types of earplugs and earmuffs. You can get them from:
• hearing specialists
• sporting goods stores
• industrial supply sources
• home improvement stores
• websites on the internet (see Appendix J)
61
The Louder a Sound is,
the Faster it Can Damage Your Hearing
Dangerous
after:
Firing a gun is so loud Less than
Extremely that it can damage your 1 second
Loud hearing immediately
Using a chainsaw for two About

minutes can damage 2 minutes
your hearing
Very Mowing the lawn with a About

Loud gas push mower for two 2 hours
hours can damage your
hearing
Driving in city traffic for About

Loud eight hours can damage 8 hours
your hearing
62
Standard Earplugs
Standard (non-custom) earplugs are low cost
and “one size fits all.” Yellow foam earplugs
are the most common. All earplugs can
protect against loud noise but they must be used
properly. Foam earplugs need to be inserted
almost completely into the ear canal (with very
little of the plug left outside of the canal - see the photo below). If they are not
used properly, then they might not give you enough protection from sound. You
can try different earplugs to find what works best for you. Some dealers offer
“trial packs” with a variety of earplugs.
correct use incorrect use
Custom Earplugs
Custom earplugs are custom
molded to the ears. An
audiologist can have them
made for you. Custom
earplugs usually are very
comfortable, easy to use, and
can be used for years.
Photo of custom earplugs courtesy of
E.A.R., Inc.
63
Hi-fi Earplugs
“Hi-fi” earplugs reduce
loudness equally for both
low and high pitches.
This avoids the muffled
effect that is caused by
most earplugs. Hi-fi
earplugs were designed
for musicians who need to
hear music clearly. These
earplugs also work well when you need to hear speech in a noisy environment.
Electronic Earplugs
Electronic earplugs allow you to
hear soft sounds, but very loud
sounds, like gunshots, are
reduced. These earplugs are
used mainly by hunters. Non-
electronic earplugs also are
available for this purpose.
Earmuffs
Earmuffs can be used instead of earplugs
or along with earplugs. Earmuffs should
be worn along with earplugs when you
are around extremely loud noise like
gun fire or chainsaws. It is important
that earmuffs fit snugly around the ears
to get a good seal. Wearing glasses or
a hood under the earmuffs will cause
them to be less effective.
All photos on this page courtesy of E.A.R., Inc.
64
APPENDIX A
Description of Tinnitus
How is “Tinnitus” Pronounced?
What is the right way to say “tinnitus”? This question is often debated and not
even all dictionaries agree. It has been pronounced tin-EYE-tus and TIN-uh-tus.
Either way you say it is fine.
What is Tinnitus?
Sound vibrations in the air become coded signals that the brain interprets as
sound. With tinnitus, there are no sound wave vibrations causing nerve fibers
to fire. With most forms of tinnitus, some of the nerve fibers are firing on their
own. The brain interprets these signals as sound.
It's Sound!
It's Sound!
(no sound)
65
Does Everyone’s Tinnitus Sound the Same?
Just about every type of sound has been reported when patients have been asked
to describe the sound of their tinnitus. “Ringing” and “high pitched tone” are
reported most often. Other sounds commonly reported include “hissing,” “high
tension wire,” “buzzing,” “sizzling,” and “crickets.” Many people hear more
than one sound.
How Many People Have Tinnitus?

Studies show that about 10 to 15 percent of all adults have permanent tinnitus.
The American Tinnitus Association reports that about 50 million Americans
have tinnitus. Most people with tinnitus are not bothered by it. Some people
have tinnitus that is very bothersome.
(This appendix adapted from Henry, Zaugg, & Schechter, Clinical guide for
audiologic tinnitus management II: Treatment. American Journal of Audiology,
14:49-70, 2005)
66
APPENDIX B
We don’t know what causes tinnitus, but we have insights based on what is
known about the hearing system. You will now learn how sound is detected by
the ear and processed by the brain. This will help you understand what might be
going on in the brain when tinnitus is present.
The “Microphone” Part of the Ear

The three major parts of the ear are the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The
inner ear includes the cochlea, a fluid-filled bony structure that is shaped like a
snail shell. It is smaller than the tip of your little finger but very complex. The
cochlea performs a task like that of a microphone. That is, the cochlea converts
sound wave vibrations into electrical signals. These electrical signals are
transmitted by nerves into the brain.
Adapted with permission from Henry JA, Trune DR, Robb MJA, Jastreboff PJ. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy:
Patient Counseling Guide. San Diego: Plural Publishing, Inc.; 2007.
67
Hair Cells
Inside the cochlea is a “ribbon” of tiny cells called “hair cells” that change
sound vibrations into nerve signals. They are called “hair cells” because each
cell has up to 150 “hairs” projecting from the top. The hair cells are laid out on
the “ribbon” like keys on a piano keyboard. These hair cells cannot be seen by
the human eye and need to magnified by a powerful electron microscope to be
seen. Hair cells are even “tuned” like keys on a keyboard, from low pitches at
one end to high pitches at the other. Sound vibrations travel to the hair cells
through the fluid in the cochlea. The vibrations in the fluid cause the hairs to
vibrate. Each pitch (or “frequency”) of sound triggers hair cells that are tuned to
that frequency. There are about 16,000 hair cells that are lined up - in three rows
of outer hair cells and one row of inner hair cells. The inner and outer hair cells
serve different purposes, and damage to each type causes different problems.
Inner hair cells
Outer hair cells
Photo courtesy of David J. Lim, MD,

House Ear Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Outer hair cells
Inner hair
cells
68
Auditory (Hearing) Nerve Sends Nerve Impulses Into
the Brain
The hearing nerve connects the hair cells in the cochlea to the brain. The
hearing nerve is like an electric cable. It is one and a half inches long. It
contains thousands of individual “wires” (nerve fibers). Our hearing
information enters the brain through the auditory nerve just like all of the
information from a microphone travels through a cable.
Nerve
Connective
tissue
Axons
(conducting fibers)
What is a “Nerve Impulse”?

The hearing system, from the hearing nerve up through the brain, consists
entirely of nerve fibers. When a hair cell is triggered by a vibration, nerve fibers
connected to the hair cell discharge. This is like firing a gun. Nerve fibers have
one task to perform: to send impulses from one end to the other.
How do we “Hear” Nerve Impulses?

The brain works kind of like a computer. Computer language is based on zeros
and ones. A single zero doesn’t mean anything and a single one doesn’t mean
anything. It is the patterns of zeros and ones that are meaningful to a computer.
In the same way, the brain recognizes patterns of on-and-off discharges of nerve
fibers.
69
The fibers in the hearing nerve are like wires in a telephone cable. Each wire
can transmit information independent of the other wires. The brain is able to
“read” the information coming in from all of the fibers at the same time. A cross
section of the hearing nerve will, at any point in time, reveal a pattern of some
fibers firing and some not firing. The brain “takes a picture” of this patterned
activity thousands of times every second. Between each picture the pattern
changes. The brain is able to interpret these coded patterns as they stream in
from the hearing nerve. This results in the perception of sound.
Final Destination of Nerve Impulses: Cortex

The outer layer of the brain is the “cerebral cortex.” This is where all conscious
perception (including listening) takes place. Signals that travel up the hearing
pathways encounter “relay stations” on their way up to the cortex. The nerve
fibers branch at each higher level. There are about 30,000 fibers in the hearing
nerve that branch as soon as they enter the brainstem. They eventually branch
into about 10,000,000 fibers. The brain continually processes coded information
contained within all of these fibers. The end result is the conscious perception
of sounds that occur outside of the body.
70
We don’t know what causes the pattern of nerve discharges that our brain
perceives as tinnitus. We know that certain events such as loud noises damage
hair cells in the inner ear. This can result in hearing loss and/or tinnitus. It can
be assumed that regions of damaged hair cells are involved in the making of
tinnitus. Removing “abnormal hair cell activity” from entering the brain should
logically “turn off” a person’s tinnitus. Some patients had one of their hearing
nerves severed to try and cut off the source of their tinnitus. All of these patients
became deaf on that side, and the tinnitus returned for most of them. This
suggests that the source of tinnitus can be anywhere within the hearing nervous
system of the brain.
Reported Causes of Tinnitus

Many people don’t know what caused their tinnitus. When a cause is reported,
loud noise is blamed most often. Other causes include:
• Trauma to the head or neck (whiplash, concussion, skull fracture, etc.)
• Ear conditions (excessive ear wax, infection, inflammation, Meniere’s
disease, otosclerosis, presbycusis, acoustic tumor, etc.)
• Other reported causes (heart problems, strokes, thyroid disease, drugs,
surgery, stress, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and TMJ disorder, etc.)
(This appendix adapted from Henry, Zaugg, & Schechter, Clinical guide for
audiologic tinnitus management II: Treatment. American Journal of Audiology,
14:49-70, 2005)
71
APPENDIX C
Methods of Tinnitus Management
Two Approaches to Tinnitus Management
There are two overall approaches to tinnitus management:
1 Eliminate tinnitus or reduce its loudness
2 Reduce the person’s reactions to the tinnitus
First Approach: Eliminate Tinnitus or Reduce its

Loudness
Prescription Drugs
Many drugs have been used for tinnitus. These are drugs designed to manage
other problems such as depression, anxiety, or lack of sleep. Drugs can
occasionally reduce the loudness of tinnitus. Choosing a drug for this purpose
is a trial-and-error process. Using any drug to treat tinnitus must be approached
with great care because of the potential for side effects. Their use can be habit
forming or even addictive. Some drugs, and mixes of drugs, can make a
person’s tinnitus louder.12
Surgery
Most tinnitus is the sensorineural (nerve) type for which surgery is not an
option.13 In rare cases, tinnitus can be caused by:
• muscular spasms,
• blood vessel constriction,
• metabolic conditions, or
• some other source of noise in the body.
These kinds of sounds have been referred to as “somatosounds” or “objective
tinnitus.” Some doctors are skilled in diagnosing this, and surgery can
sometimes help treat the cause.14 The hearing nerve was cut for some patients
totry and cut off the source of the tinnitus. This is not done anymore because
these patients became deaf in that ear, and the tinnitus often returned. Another
rare cause of tinnitus is a (often benign) tumor on the hearing nerve. When this
occurs, the tinnitus usually is in one ear. It appears slowly along with hearing
loss in the same ear. Such tumors can be removed with surgery.
72
Electrical Stimulation
Some studies have described the use of electrical stimulation to reduce the
loudness of tinnitus. This involves applying a small electric current to some area
around the ears. This has been known to help some patients. No one yet can
consistently achieve this effect.15 Some patients with cochlear implants report
that their tinnitus is reduced when the implant is activated. A cochlear implant
requires surgery that involves threading a wire through the cochlea. The wire
contains tiny electrodes that produce electrical signals that activate nerve
endings in the cochlea. This surgery usually is not an option for tinnitus patients
unless they have no usable hearing in both ears.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a new method that may suppress
tinnitus in some people.16-18 An electromagnetic coil is held against the head
over the region of interest.17 Passing current through the coil causes a
magnetic field to pass through the cortex (outer layer of the brain). Oscillating
the strength of the current (called repetitive TMS, or rTMS) causes the
magnetic field to fluctuate. Low-frequency rTMS decreases cortical excitability
and sensory perception. High-frequency rTMS increases excitability. Studies
have shown that low-frequency rTMS can help with disorders that are linked
with increased cortical activity. This finding led to studies looking at its ability
to suppress tinnitus. These studies are “promising,” but further research is
needed.
Use of Sound
In Part 2 of this workbook we describe how to use sound to manage reactions
to tinnitus. Sound cannot “eliminate tinnitus or reduce its loudness.” However,
sound can give the perception that the tinnitus is eliminated or reduced in
loudness. For example, patients treated with Tinnitus Masking usually are fitted
with masking devices that fit in or over the ears. The devices present wide-
band noise (sounds like “shhh”) to the ears. The noise can cover, or “mask,”
the tinnitus. Masking the tinnitus gives the perception that the tinnitus has been
eliminated. Even if the tinnitus is not completely masked, hearing the noise can
give the perception that the tinnitus is reduced in loudness.
Does the “First Approach” Work?

Anyone with tinnitus wants the sound eliminated. They want a “cure,” which is
the main goal of the “first approach.” If the main goal can’t be met, then the
73
“first approach” tries to at least reduce the loudness of tinnitus. To date, there
is no safe, consistent way to eliminate tinnitus or to reduce its loudness for
most patients. Using sound can give the perception that the tinnitus is gone or
reduced in loudness. However, another sound must be presented to the ear to
cause this perception.
Second Approach: Reduce Reactions to Tinnitus

Most therapies for tinnitus do not try to eliminate tinnitus or reduce its loudness.
Rather, they try to reduce the person’s reactions to the tinnitus. This is what is
meant by tinnitus management. There are many methods that are used to
manage tinnitus.
Prescription Drugs
As described above, drugs often are used in the attempt to eliminate tinnitus or
reduce its loudness (“first approach”). Drugs also are used to reduce emotional
reactions to tinnitus. Prescription drugs can reduce reactions to tinnitus by:
• calming anxieties,
• elevating mood,
• relieving depression, and/or
• inducing sleep.19
If your reaction to tinnitus involves anxiety, an anti-anxiety drug may help. If
you have trouble sleeping because of the tinnitus, drugs can restore restful sleep.
If you have depression, treatment of it may lessen the severity of the tinnitus
problem. However, regular use of drugs to treat tinnitus can cause side effects
and/or addiction to the drugs. See your medical doctor if you are depressed,
stressed, anxious, or have trouble sleeping.
Psychological Approaches
Many psychological approaches have been used to manage tinnitus. These
include, but are not limited to, the following.
• Relaxation training involves deep breathing, imagery, and other exercises
intended to reduce stress. The goal is to reduce overall reactions to stress
and/or provide a distraction from tinnitus. If tinnitus causes stress, relaxation
training can reduce the stress. Relaxation training requires concentration and
practice to be used effectively.
74
• Cognitive therapy (also called “cognitive restructuring”) involves helping
people change how they think about their tinnitus to help them feel better.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) combines cognitive therapy with
everyday activity changes. CBT originally was used to treat people with
depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.20 CBT was adapted for use with
people who have tinnitus, and became the main psychological approach to
managing tinnitus.5 The method normally requires about eight sessions. It is
conducted weekly in either a group or one-on-one setting. The goal is to
reduce reactions to tinnitus and stress associated with tinnitus. A self-
management guide using principles of CBT has been published.6 Part 3 of
this workbook is based on the use of CBT for tinnitus.
Sound-based Methods
Some methods of tinnitus management rely on the use of sound. These are the
main methods used by audiologists. Each of these methods uses sound in
different ways.9
Hearing Aids
Before we talk about the different sound-based methods, we first need to
mention that hearing aids often are helpful for tinnitus. Many patients who have
hearing loss and tinnitus discover that hearing aids alone are all they need to
successfully manage their reactions to tinnitus.
Hearing aids can be helpful in managing reactions to tinnitus because they:
• Increase background sound (reduces contrast between tinnitus and quiet
environments)
• Make it easier to hear soothing sounds (to reduce stress caused by tinnitus)
• Make it easier to hear interesting sounds (to help shift attention away from
tinnitus)
• Make difficult listening situations less stressful
75
Tinnitus Masking (TM)
As described above, using sound with TM can give the perception that tinnitus
is eliminated or reduced in loudness. However, the main goal of TM is to use
sound to provide a sense of relief.21,22 Patients normally are fitted with ear-level
devices that present wide-band noise (a “shhh” sound) to the ears. Patients
are instructed to adjust the noise to the level that provides the greatest sense of
relief. Patients also are advised to use all kinds of sound-producing devices to
achieve relief. These devices include CDs, tabletop fountains, sound machines,
sound pillows, etc.1 Counseling also is used with Masking, but the use of sound
is the primary mode of management.21
• The use of sound with TM is an example of using environmental sound as
soothing sound
Soothing 
Background
Interesting
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)

The method of TRT has two basic components: educational counseling and
sound therapy.2, 23 Educational counseling is designed to remove any fears
linked with the tinnitus. The counseling is like a class. The clinician is the
“teacher.” Detailed lectures about the “neurophysiological model” are taught.24
For sound therapy, patients are told to “enrich their sound environment” at all
times with soft, pleasant background sound. For those who are most severely
bothered by their tinnitus, ear-level devices are advised for use each day for at
least one year. Patients with less severe tinnitus normally do not use ear-level
devices.25, 26
Unlike Tinnitus Masking, the use of sound with TRT is not meant to give a
sense of relief. With TRT, the patient should hear the tinnitus clearly, but with
constant sound in the background. The constant sound reduces the contrast
between the tinnitus and the quiet environment. Patients are supposed to use
sound in this way everyday to eventually achieve “habituation.” Habituation for
TRT means that you stop reacting to the tinnitus and stop noticing it is there.
76
• The use of sound with TRT is an example of using environmental sound
as background sound.
Soothing
Background 
Interesting
Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment (NTT)

[Note: Any discussion about Neuromonics refers to the company Neuromonics
Pty Ltd. The company promotes and supports their method. The VA does
not endorse Neuromonics at this time. Any information provided about
Neuromonics is for information purposes only.] NTT is different from the other
forms of sound-based tinnitus management in that providers must work with
a company to receive all training, materials, wearable devices, and support.
Neuromonics Pty Ltd is a company based in Australia with operations also in the
United States. NTT previously was referred to as acoustic desensitization
therapy.27
NTT patients use a wearable listening device 2-3 hours per day for at least 6
months.3 The device is a like an MP3 player, and plays Baroque and New Age
music. For each patient, the device is customized by the company so that the
sound is adjusted (“equalized”) for any hearing loss. During the first 2 months
of treatment (stage 1) wide-band noise (described as “shower sound”) is added
to the music. Patients are instructed to achieve a “high level of interaction”
between the music and their tinnitus. The objective of stage 1 is to attain a
“sense of relief and control over the tinnitus, and promote a reduction in
general anxiety levels” (p. 149).3
77
• The use of sound during stage 1 of NTT is an example of using a
combination of music and environmental sound as soothing sound.

Soothing  
Background
Interesting
During the next 4 months (stage 2) the noise is removed. Patients are instructed
to gradually reduce the volume of the music to decrease the level of interaction
between the music and the tinnitus. The objective of stage 2 is essentially
the same as for TRT: less awareness of, and less reaction to, the tinnitus. The
company has conducted its own clinical studies. No independent, controlled
studies have been done to evaluate NTT.
• The use of sound during stage 2 of NTT is an example of using music as
soothing sound, transitioning to using music as background sound.
Soothing 
Background 
Interesting
Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM)

PTM is the method that is described in this workbook.7 A unique aspect of
PTM is that sound can be used in different ways for different situations when
tinnitus is a problem. PTM describes three types of sound to manage reactions
to tinnitus:
1 Soothing sound
2 Background sound
3 Interesting sound
78
Different situations when tinnitus is a problem require different approaches.
PTM involves using the Sound Plan Worksheet (p. 30) to decide how to use
sound for each tinnitus-problem situation. For each type of sound (soothing,
background, interesting), you can use environmental sound, music, or speech.
Depending on the situation, a different combination is most appropriate. This all
has been described in Part 2 of this workbook. Additional details about PTM,
including assessment procedures, specific counseling information, and the use of
hearing aids, have been published.8, 9, 28
• The use of sound with PTM can involve all combinations of types of
sound (soothing, background, interesting) and environmental sound,
music, and speech.
Soothing   
Background   
Interesting   
PTM is not limited to using sound. As described in Part 3 of this workbook,

different components of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are also used.
Using sound alone may not be enough for some people. It may also be
important to address cognitive and emotional aspects of tinnitus. CBT provides
a good framework for addressing those concerns.
“Complementary and Alternative” Methods

There are many tinnitus treatments considered “complementary and alternative.”
These include but are not limited to:
• nutritional supplements,
• homeopathic remedies,
• acupuncture,
• naturopathic medicine,
• hypnosis
79
Many people are convinced that the herb gingko biloba is useful. Large-scale
controlled studies have shown no helpful effect of gingko.29 There are
nutritional remedies that may include “tinnitus” in their name. These are
mixtures of herbs and vitamins. They often include zinc, ginkgo, and/or vitamin
B-12. Many claims have been made. There is no scientific proof that any of
these remedies are effective, other than for isolated cases.30
(Portions of this appendix adapted from Henry, Zaugg, & Schechter, Clinical
guide for audiologic tinnitus management II: Treatment. American Journal of
Audiology, 14:49-70, 2005)
80
APPENDIX D
What To Do When Everyday Sounds
Are Too Loud (not related to using
hearing aids)
Bill Smith is bothered by everyday sounds. (This problem is sometimes called
hyperacusis.) Kitchen sounds and the vacuum cleaner are too loud for him. He
is bothered by road noise when he drives. It seems like everything at church is
too loud. What should Bill do? Believe it or not, being around more sound can
make things better! And, staying away from sound can make his problem worse!
What??? He should add more sound??? Keep reading and we’ll explain . . .
There are three things you can do if everyday sounds are too loud for you.
1 Keep yourself surrounded with sound that is comfortable for you
2 Listen to sounds that you enjoy as often as you can
3 Only wear hearing protection when you really need to
1. Keep yourself surrounded with sound that is

comfortable for you.
Why should I keep myself surrounded with sound? Let’s start by thinking
about your eyes and how they adjust to light. Imagine sitting in a dark movie
theater and then going outside into the daylight. Everything seems brighter to
you than it does to people who were not sitting in the dark. Your eyes had
adjusted to the dark and now they have to readjust to the daylight.
Your ears adjust to sound kind of like your eyes adjust to light. If you stay away
from sound, your ears will slowly adjust to the quiet. After a while, everyday
sounds will seem louder and harder to tolerate. Avoiding sound will only make
the problem worse.
If you keep yourself surrounded with sound, your ears will readjust. It will
slowly become easier for you to tolerate everyday sounds. You should only use
sounds that are comfortable for you. It usually takes at least a few weeks of
being around sound for this change to happen.
How do I keep myself surrounded with sound? You can use any sound that is
81
not annoying. (The sound can be either neutral or pleasant.) Here are some
ideas:
• listen to music at a comfortable level
• listen to radio shows
• play recordings of nature sounds
• keep a fan running
• use a tabletop water fountain
Another choice: Some people wear small instruments in their ears that make a
“shhh” sound. These instruments are called in-the-ear noise generators or
maskers. Your audiologist can tell you more about them.
2. Listen to sounds that you enjoy as often as you can.

Why should I listen to sounds that I enjoy as often as I can? We just talked
about the problem of everyday sounds being too loud (hyperacusis). Many
people also have another problem. They just don’t like certain sounds, but not
because they are too loud. (This problem is sometimes called misophonia.) If
you don’t like certain sounds, you should make a point of listening to sounds
that you enjoy. Spending time enjoying sound can help you get better at
tolerating everyday sounds that you don’t like.
3. Only wear hearing protection when you really need

to.
Why should I use ear protection only when I really need to? When everyday
sounds seem too loud, some people start using ear protection all the time.
Remember that avoiding sound will make the problem worse. Only use ear
protection when sounds are dangerously loud or uncomfortably loud. As soon as
the sound around you is at a safe and comfortable level, take the ear protection
off. The goal is to wear ear protection only when needed.
Use earplugs or earmuffs only when:
• sounds around you are uncomfortably loud
• you are around dangerously loud sounds like:
- lawn mowers
- loud concerts
- power tools
- guns
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Is there any research?
Yes. In 2002 Formby, Sherlock, and Gold* studied sound tolerance.
• There were two groups of people:
1 One group wore earplugs for 2 weeks
2 The other group wore in-the-ear noise generators (maskers) that make a
“shhh” sound
• After 2 weeks:
- The people who wore earplugs could tolerate less sound than before
- The people who wore maskers could tolerate more sound than before
• This study showed that:
- Adding sound makes it easier to tolerate sound
- Staying in quiet makes it harder to tolerate sound
Bottom line
If everyday sounds bother you:
• Surrounding yourself with comfortable sound will help
• Avoiding sound will make the problem worse
How long does it take?
It can take weeks or months for your ears to adjust.
Talk to your audiologist if you have any questions.
*Formby, C., Sherlock, L.P., & Gold, S.L. (2002). Adaptive calibration of
chronic auditory gain: Interim findings. In R. Patuzzi (Ed.), Proceedings of the
VIIth International Tinnitus Seminar (pp. 165-69). Crawley: University of
Western Australia.
83
APPENDIX E
Effects of Tinnitus
Tinnitus can have many effects on a person’s life. Although there are seemingly
hundreds of different effects caused by tinnitus, each can be grouped into one or
more of three categories: (1) difficulty concentrating, (2) emotional reactions,
and (3) disrupted sleep. Usually, effects of tinnitus include emotional reactions.
For example, difficulty concentrating can lead to frustration and anger.
Tinnitus Can Affect Concentration

Imagine you are sitting in a quiet office writing a report. Off in the distance a
car alarm goes off. You notice it, but car alarms seem to go off all the time so
you don’t pay much attention to it. If the alarm continues, however, the sound
might distract you from your work. Constant tinnitus is like an “endless car
alarm.” The sound is not welcome. It cannot be turned off. The challenge is to
function in spite of the unwelcome sound.
People are different in their ability to ignore certain sounds. For example, some
students like to study with the TV on while others need quiet. Likewise, people
are different in the way they ignore tinnitus. For some, it is easy to ignore, while
for others it’s a distracting sound. When tinnitus distracts you, it can affect any
task that needs concentration, such as reading, writing, studying, learning, or
problem-solving.
Tinnitus does not make it more difficult to hear. It can, however, indirectly
affect our hearing if it affects our concentration. It can interfere with focused
listening. For that reason, tinnitus can affect our ability to communicate with
others.
Tinnitus Can Cause Emotional Reactions

At first, the sound from a car alarm is distracting. If the sound persists, it can
become annoying. This type of cycle can happen with tinnitus. Emotional
reactions can include frustration, worry, and anger. Some people report anxiety
or depression because of tinnitus. As mentioned above, effects of tinnitus
usually include emotional reactions. For this reason, tinnitus management
should focus on managing reactions to tinnitus.
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Tinnitus Can Disrupt Sleep
People with tinnitus often experience sleep problems. Recall the discussion of
contrast reduction on pages 19 and 20. “The sharp contrast between tinnitus and
a quiet room attracts attention.” When you go to bed at night, you usually are in
a quiet room. This situation can make it very difficult to ignore tinnitus. Being
aware of tinnitus can make it hard to fall asleep. It can also make it hard to
return to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night. If tinnitus disrupts
sleep each night, you may become sleep deprived. This can make it harder to
function normally throughout the day.
If sleep is a problem for you because of tinnitus, please review pages 19 and 20.
It is especially important to note how using sound can help you sleep: “Adding
sound to the room reduces the contrast between the tinnitus and the background.
The tinnitus might be just as loud as it was before adding sound to the room.
However, it is easier for the brain to ignore the tinnitus because there is other
sound in the room.” Also, Appendix I offers “tips for getting better sleep.”
Why Does Tinnitus Become a Problem?

We discussed how tinnitus can become a problem. Now we will discuss why it
becomes a problem.
1 Many patients report that their tinnitus “came out of nowhere.” The
tinnitus is a new sound. The new sound can be surprising, and it comes
from inside the head - that really gets our attention.
2 If the tinnitus is perceived as a threat, it will keep our attention. Tinnitus
can be perceived as a threat if it evokes fears of a serious medical or
psychological problem. Patients often report worries that tinnitus means
that they “have a tumor” or “are going crazy.”
3 We are all different in how we react to sound. The exact same tinnitus
sound might bother one person and not another person.
4 Some people say that their tinnitus annoys them because it’s always there.
The sound is persistent, like a dripping water faucet. “Peace and quiet” no
longer seems an option.
5 Tinnitus can trigger negative memories if the onset of the tinnitus was
associated with a traumatic event. The tinnitus may first be noticed
following a car accident, a head injury, combat trauma, or a nearby
85
explosion. Or, it first may be noticed during a time of extreme stress.
Thinking about the tinnitus at a later time can trigger these negative
memories.
6 Any unwanted sound will become more annoying if it is made louder. A
louder sound is harder to ignore. People who report very loud tinnitus seem
to be the most bothered by it.
7 The more you pay attention to tinnitus, the more it tends to be a problem.
Your lifestyle can affect how much attention is given to tinnitus. Lifestyle
factors that may tend to make you pay more attention to tinnitus include:
(a) lack of challenging and meaningful activities; (b) spending time in quiet
settings; (c) stress; (d) lack of sleep; and (e) unemployment.
8 Lack of control is one more reason why tinnitus can become a problem.
Even people with mild tinnitus feel that they can’t control it or escape it.
We want to turn it off, but we don’t have that control. We can become
frustrated, discouraged, and angry about our lack of control over the sound
that’s inside our head.
We talked about the car alarm in the distance becoming increasingly
bothersome. The alarm becomes a problem when it is someone else’s car,
and you have no control over it. If it is your own car you would be able to
turn off the alarm and end the problem. This difference in how you react
depends on whether or not you feel that you have control.
Audiology, 14:49-70, 2005)
86
APPENDIX F
Effects of Hearing Loss
The most common type of hearing loss is “high frequency” loss. This by and
large results from loud noise and/or aging. High-frequency hearing is more
prone to damage than hearing at lower pitches. A common symptom of high-
frequency hearing loss is trouble understanding speech in background noise. If
you have hearing loss, hearing aids can help you hear better and may provide
relief from stress and tension caused by tinnitus (see Appendix C). If you have
trouble hearing, please talk to an audiologist.
Why Does Background Noise Cause Hearing Problems?

With a high-frequency hearing loss, background noise can make it hard to hear
clearly. This is because the consonant sounds (for example “t-,” “f-,” “s-”) are
high frequency, low energy sounds. They are covered up, or “masked,” by
other sounds. Vowels are low frequency, high-energy sounds that are not easily
masked. You need to hear consonant sounds clearly to tell apart words that
sound almost the same, such as “toy” and “soy.” It is easy for background
sound to “mask out” consonant sounds.
Hearing Loss Creeps Up Slowly

Hearing loss usually creeps up slowly. When this occurs, the first sign is
trouble hearing what people are saying in background noise. Often other
people will notice the hearing loss before the person who has the hearing loss.
Blaming Hearing Problems on Tinnitus

You might blame recent hearing problems on your tinnitus. As hearing worsens
over time, you may get more and more annoyed by the tinnitus. Each time a
listening problem occurs, your attention might shift to the tinnitus as the cause.
This could result in more attention paid to the tinnitus. This could then lead to
an emotional response (for example, frustration or anger). Such thinking can
prevail until the hearing loss is detected. But you will have made a habit of
reacting negatively to the tinnitus. This is how many people develop a problem
with their tinnitus.
Audiology, 14:49-70, 2005) 87
APPENDIX G
Examples of How People Use Sound
to Manage Reactions to Tinnitus
Sound Can be Used in Many Ways
There are many examples of common ways of using sound to manage tinnitus.
There are also unusual ways to use sound. Some of these examples are not what
you might expect, but they work
for some people. Be open to
using sound in unusual or
unexpected ways to manage
your tinnitus. (Appendix J
shows websites that offer
many products for using
sound.)
Examples of Soothing Sound

Using Environmental Sound as Soothing Sound
Soothing 
Background
Interesting
Carmen notices her tinnitus a lot in her quiet office. The tinnitus annoys her
and makes it hard to concentrate. Carmen feels soothed by the sound of ocean
waves. When she keeps the sound of ocean waves in her office (using a CD
player), she feels better and can concentrate on her work.
88
Using Music as Soothing Sound
Soothing 
Background
Interesting
Most mornings Julie woke up feeling irritated that tinnitus was the first sound of
the day. She did not like to start her day feeling that way. She started listening
to relaxing music every morning when she first woke up. The music gives her a
sense of relief and helps her start the day feeling more calm and relaxed.
Using Speech as Soothing Sound

Soothing 
Background
Interesting
Malcolm listens to audio recordings of relaxation exercises including deep

breathing and imagery to get relief from the tension caused by his tinnitus.
What is Imagery?
• Imagery is used to help people relax (see p. 38)
• It is done by asking people to close their eyes and picture a peaceful setting
• Imagery is used to relax during stress and as a distraction from tinnitus
• Usually, people feel more relaxed within 5-10 minutes
• The DVD and the CD in the back of this workbook have recordings of an
imagery exercise
What is Deep Breathing?
• Deep breathing is used to help people relax (see p. 38)
89
• Deep breathing involves paying careful attention to breathing from the
abdomen
• Deep breathing also involves keeping the breath regular and rhythmic
• The DVD and the CD in the back of this workbook have recordings of a deep
breathing exercise
Examples of Background Sound

Using Environmental Sound as Background Sound
Soothing
Background 
Interesting
William was having a hard time getting to sleep at night because of his tinnitus.
He started running a box fan near his bed. The fan does not give him a sense of
relief. He still can hear his tinnitus when the fan is running, but the tinnitus
doesn’t keep his attention like it did when the room was quiet.
Using Music as Background Sound
Soothing
Background 
Interesting
Mary’s tinnitus made it difficult for her to concentrate on paperwork. She now
plays classical music when doing paperwork. The music doesn’t make her feel
better, and she doesn’t pay attention to it. But playing the music helps her to
concentrate.
90
Using Speech as Background Sound
Soothing
Background 
Interesting
Enrique needed to concentrate in his quiet office but was irritated by his tinnitus.
He tried different background sounds on CD, including “crowd noise” (many
people talking at once). The crowd noise didn’t relax him or make him feel
better. But, after a while, he realized that he wasn’t thinking about his tinnitus
nearly as often as he did when his office was silent.
Examples of Interesting Sound

Using Environmental Sound as Interesting Sound
Soothing
Background
Interesting 
Ben enjoys listening to bird calls. He can identify many local birds by their
calls. Sometimes, when his tinnitus is bothering him, he sits on his back porch
and listens to bird calls. Other times he goes on-line to learn new bird calls.
Actively listening to bird calls gets Ben’s mind off of the tinnitus.
91
Using Music as Interesting Sound
Soothing
Background
Interesting 
David had trouble relaxing in the evening because his tinnitus was annoying.
He started actively listening to the lyrics of songs on his favorite radio station.
Paying attention to music lyrics gets his mind off of the tinnitus, which helps
him to relax.
Using Speech as Interesting Sound
Soothing
Background
Interesting 
Jane doesn’t notice her tinnitus as often when she listens to a book on tape. The
book on tape is interesting to her, and listening to it makes it easier to ignore the
tinnitus.
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APPENDIX H
How to Choose Devices
(To Help with #4 on the Sound Plan
Worksheet)
When filling out #4 on the Sound Plan Worksheet, you can choose from many
different devices for getting sound into your ears. We will now give you ideas to
help you make your choices. It can help to think of two different categories of
devices.
1 Wearable Listening Devices
2 Stationary (Tabletop) Devices
Wearable Listening Devices

Wearable listening devices include radios, CD players, cassette tape players,
and MP3 players. Some cell phones (like the Apple iPhone) play music. Others
have radios built in. Wearable listening devices can be used to manage your
tinnitus in almost any setting. If you need hearing aids, then there are options to
connect hearing aids with wearable listening devices (described later).
Photo of eye mask shown with permission from Brookstone

Photo of Sony cassette player, CD player and Aiwa radio shown with permission from Sony, Inc.
93
MP3 Players
MP3 players (like the Apple iPod) are very flexible listening
devices. They can store digital sound files for music, nature
sounds, podcasts - whatever you like to listen to. “Earbuds”
(in-the-ear earphones) usually are used with MP3 players,
although regular earphones also can be used. Some MP3
players double as radios and even cell phones, which makes
them even more useful. MP3 players are ideal for listening
to special tinnitus-relief sounds that are available on CD.31
You can use an MP3 player to take sound almost anywhere
you need it for your tinnitus.
Bluetooth
Some models of MP3 players offer Bluetooth wireless options. This can make
MP3 players more comfortable and convenient to use. Bluetooth is short-range
radio technology. It normally is used with cell phones. It allows cell phone
users to wear a hands-free earpiece
that has a wireless connection
with the phone. You can use a
wireless earpiece in one or both
ears to listen to a Bluetooth-
enabled MP3 player worn on a belt
or carried in a purse.
MP3 player
Bluetooth with Hearing Aids

Some behind-the-ear hearing aids have adapters to use with Bluetooth. For
tinnitus, this hearing aid and adapter set-up can
be used to receive signals directly from
Bluetooth-enabled MP3 players.
MP3 player
cell phone
94
Any recorded sound on the MP3 player can be sent directly to your hearing aids
with no wires. Signals from Bluetooth-enabled cell phones also can be
transmitted to the hearing aids without wires. This results in improved speech
understanding while using a cell phone.32
Hearing Aids with T-coils

A telephone coil (t-coil) is a tiny coil of wire built into many hearing aids. The
t-coil is usually used to pick up inductive (magnetic) signals from telephones.
Hearing aids with t-coils also can receive wireless signals from an MP3 player.
A neckloop or inductive earhooks can be plugged into the headphone jack of
any MP3 player. The signal from the MP3 player is wirelessly transmitted to the
t-coil of the hearing aid from the neckloop or earhooks. For some MP3 players,
an amplified neckloop may be needed. Signals from cell phones with standard
headphone jacks also can be transmitted to t-coils
using a neckloop or inductive earhooks. This
allows wireless delivery of sound from any audio
device with a standard headphone jack direct to
any hearing aid t-coil.
95
Satellite Radio
Satellite Radio offers many listening choices. About
160 channels are available. A special receiver is
needed (average price around $100) along with
monthly service (about $10/month). Each receiver
has different features. Some receivers can store hours
of programs for later listening. The main advantage of
Satellite Radio is the large number of listening choices.
Photo of satellite radio courtesy of Pioneeer Electronics (USA) Inc.
Stationary Listening Devices

Stationary listening devices include:
• Tabletop sound generators
• CD players
• Radios
• MP3 “docking stations”
• Tabletop fountains
These devices are useful in quiet rooms such as offices and bedrooms.
Stationary listening devices help “enrich” your sound environment. They can be
used even if you use hearing aids or ear-level noise generators. (Appendix J
shows websites that offer a variety of stationary listening devices.)
Benefits of Stationary Listening Devices
Any sound that you can listen to with wearable listening devices also works
with stationary listening devices. CDs can be played on many kinds of systems.
MP3 players can be used in docking stations for tabletop use. Cassette tapes,
although no longer popular, are still options -
especially for music and talk formats. Radios
offer many program choices. Satellite Radio
is available in tabletop models. Tabletop
water fountains and electric fans provide
steady background sound. Any of these
devices can be useful in a quiet setting
where you spend time. They are helpful in
the office, bedroom, and reading areas.
Photo of tabletop fountain shown with permission from HoMedics, Inc.
96
If you have trouble sleeping because of tinnitus, a tabletop sound device next to
the bed may help. “Sound pillows” offer another listening choice.
Photo of Marsona sound machine courtesy of Marpac Corporation

Photo of HoMedics sound machine shown with permission from HoMedics, Inc.
Photo of iHome radio and docking station courtesy of KIDdesigns, Inc.
Photo of Sound Pillow courtesy of Phoenix Productions & Promotional Products
97
Sight and Sound
Using both sight and sound can be very
useful to get your thoughts off of your
tinnitus. Options include movies (theatre,
DVD, VHS), TV shows, plays, concerts,
and comedy club. The content should
always be meaningful and interesting to
you - to keep your attention.
Also, there are special DVDs that show peaceful scenes with relaxing music in
the background.
©2008 Healing HealthCare Systems
Photo of Toshiba TV shown with permission from Brodeur Partners
98
APPENDIX I
Tips for Getting Better Sleep
Sleep is essential to good health. Sleep helps your body to repair itself, both
physically and emotionally. Your tinnitus may seem worse when you are tired.
When you get enough sleep, you are ready to handle problems and you won’t
get frustrated as easily. A good night’s sleep will give you energy to practice
skills from this workbook.20
What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?

• Your tinnitus may seem louder
• Problems seem more difficult to handle
• Your body feels weak
• You don’t feel good or enjoy activities
• You have difficulty concentrating
Tips for sleeping well:

Timing:
• Set the alarm and get up at the same time everyday (regardless of how much
you slept)
• Do not nap during the day, or limit your naps to no more than 30 minutes
each day (unless you have been advised differently by your doctor)
• Go to bed at the same time each day
Sleep Behavior:
• Go to bed only when sleepy
• Use the bed and bedroom only for sleep (do not read, eat, or watch TV in
bed)
• If unable to sleep - get out of bed
• Don’t lie in bed awake for more than 20 minutes - get up
• Engage in a quiet activity - return to bed when sleepy
• Repeat the above strategy for as many times as is necessary
99
• Teach your body to associate the bed with sleep, not frustration
• Only spend the amount of time in bed that you want to spend sleeping even
if you did not sleep as well or as much as you would have liked. For
example, if you want seven hours of sleep then only spend seven hours in
bed.
• Don’t sleep in or nap more than usual because you didn’t sleep well the night
before
Body Temperature:
• Increasing your body temperature during the day can help you sleep better at
night
• Don’t exercise or bathe too close to bedtime
• You can raise body temperature by exercising a few hours before bed
• You can raise body temperature by taking a warm bath for about 30 minutes
about two hours before bedtime
The Bedroom:
• Keep the same temperature in the bedroom throughout the night; make sure
that the temperature is not too warm.
• Overheating can disrupt deep sleep
• Brightly lit wall clocks can disrupt sleep
• Keep the room dark. (Note: A night light may be needed to safely get up in
the night to go to the restroom without falling.)
• Develop a “sound plan” to learn how to use sound to manage your tinnitus at
night (see p. 27).
- Also use constant low-level sound to keep other sounds from waking you
up. (See Appendix J for websites that offer tabletop sound machines.)
Effort and Sleep:

• Making an “effort” to fall asleep will not help you sleep
• Sleep should not be effortful
• Avoid mentally stimulating activity just before going to bed. For example,
don’t watch an action movie or have really interesting conversation just
before bedtime.
100
• Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visual imagery can help
you get to sleep or back to sleep when you awaken in the night
• Mentally quiet tasks such as listening to music and calming thoughts can
help you relax and sleep
Diet:
• Caffeine (a stimulant) should be discontinued at least 4-6 hours before
bedtime*
• Nicotine (a stimulant) should be avoided near bedtime and when you awaken
in the night*
• Alcohol (a depressant) causes awakenings later in the night even though it
might have helped you fall asleep*
• A light snack may be sleep-inducing but a heavy meal too close to bedtime
might interfere with sleep
*Check with your doctor before using any of these substances
More information about sleep is available from Patlak, M. (November, 2005).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health;
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. NIH
Publication No. 06-5271. (available as a free download from http://www.nhlbi.
nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.htm)
101
APPENDIX J
Resources
“Knowledge is power.” Learning about tinnitus can help you manage it and
control your reactions to it. There are many good books and websites about
tinnitus. Be aware that some websites have wrong or misleading information.
Contact your audiologist if you have any questions.
Websites (Websites accessed January 16, 2010; this list does not comprise an
endorsement of any of these products or companies)
Websites to Locate Therapeutic Sounds and Sound-

Producing Devices
Sites for CDs and Downloads Tabletop Sound-Generating Devices
www.sleepmachines.com www.brookstone.com
www.serenitysupply.com www.catalogclearance.com
www.binaural.com/bines.html www.marpac.com
www.naturesound.com www.soundtherapyworld.com
www.purewhitenoise.com www.homedics.com
www.empoweredwithin.com www.naturestapestry.com
www.audiobooks.com www.soundmachinesdirect.com
www.npr.org/podcast www.adcohearing.com
www.audiobionics.com www.halhen.com
Other Sound Devices Ear-level Tinnitus Instruments

www.bizrate.com www.generalhearing.com
www.water-fountain.biz www.amplisound.com
www.simplyfountains.com www.widexusa.com
www.overstock.com www.gnresound.com
www.sirius.com www.beltone.com
www.soundpillow.com
www.healinghealth.com
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Websites for Information About Tinnitus
www.ncrar.research.va.gov
www.ata.org
www.tinnitus.org.uk
www.ohsu.edu/ohrc
www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noiseinear.asp
Websites to Locate Products for Hearing Protection

www.earinc.com
www.etymotic.com
www.earplugstore.com
www.howardleight.com
Website for Information about Getting Better Sleep

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.htm
Tinnitus Video
We made a 13-minute video with basic information about tinnitus. You can
watch it on your computer via the NCRAR website (http://www.ncrar.research.
va.gov/ForVets/Resources.asp). If it does not work on your computer, contact
the NCRAR and request a copy.
Public Library
You can access the internet for free at a public library. If you don’t know how to
use the internet, a librarian will show you how. You can use the internet to
access the websites listed above. You can also borrow CDs and DVDs from
public libraries.
Any advice about tinnitus and hearing disorders given by this workbook is
general information. It is not a substitute for proper medical care. No
responsibility can be accepted for the outcome on any health problem on which
we may have commented in this way.
103
References
1. Schechter MA, Henry JA. Assessment and treatment of tinnitus patients
using a “masking approach.” Journal of the American Academy of
Audiology 2002;13:545-558.
2. Henry JA, Trune DR, Robb MJA, Jastreboff PJ. Tinnitus Retraining
Therapy: Clinical Guidelines. San Diego: Plural Publishing, Inc.; 2007.
3. Davis PB. Music and the acoustic desensitization protocol for tinnitus. In:
Tyler RS, editor. Tinnitus Treatment: Clinical Protocols. New York: Thieme
Medical Publishers, Inc.; 2006. p. 146-160.
4. Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Schechter MA. Clinical guide for audiologic tinnitus
management II: Treatment. American Journal of Audiology 2005;14:49-70.
5. Henry JL, Wilson PH. The Psychological Management of Chronic Tinnitus.
Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon; 2001.
6. Henry JL, Wilson PH. Tinnitus: A Self-Management Guide for the Ringing
in Your Ears. Boston: Allyn & Bacon; 2002.
7. Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Myers PJ, Schechter MA. Progressive Audiologic
Tinnitus Management. The Asha Leader 2008;13(8):14-17.
8. Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Myers PJ, Schechter MA. The role of audiologic
evaluation in Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management. Trends in
Amplification 2008;12(3):169-184.
9. Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Myers PJ, Schechter MA. Using therapeutic sound
with Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management. Trends in Amplification
2008;12(3):185-206.
10. Henry JA, Dennis K, Schechter MA. General review of tinnitus: Prevalence,
mechanisms, effects, and management. Journal of Speech, Language, and
Hearing Research 2005;48(5):1204-1234.
11. Beck JS. Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. New York: Guilford; 1995.
12. DiSorga RM. Adverse drug reactions and audiology practice. Audiology
Today 2001;13(Special Issue: Drug Reactions):2-7.
104
13. Hazell J. Management of tinnitus. In: Ludman H, Wright T, editors. Diseases
of the Ear. London: Arnold; 1998. p. 202-215.
14. Perry BP, Gantz BJ. Medical and surgical evaluation and management of
tinnitus. In: Tyler RS, editor. Tinnitus Handbook. San Diego: Singular
Publishing Group; 2000. p. 221-241.
15. Dauman R. Electrical stimulation for tinnitus suppression. In: Tyler R,
editor. Tinnitus Handbook. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group; 2000.
p. 377-398.
16. Folmer RL, Carroll JR, Rahim A, Shi Y, Hal Martin W. Effects of repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on chronic tinnitus. Acta Oto-
Laryngologica 2006;126(Supplement 556):96-101.
17. Langguth B, Hajak G, Kleinjung T, Pridmore S, Sand P, Eichhammer P.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and chronic tinnitus. Acta Oto-
Laryngologica 2006;126(Supplement 556):102-4.
18. Londero A, Langguth B, De Ridder D, Bonfils P, Lefaucheur JP. Repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): a new therapeutic approach in
subjective tinnitus? Neurophysiol Clin 2006;36(3):145-55.
19. Dobie RA. Clinical trials and drug therapy for tinnitus. In: Snow JB,
editor. Tinnitus: Theory and Management. Lewiston, NY: BC Decker Inc.;
2004. p. 266-277.
20. Kerns RD, Turk DC, Holzman AD, Rudy TE. Comparison of cognitive-
behavioral and behavioral approaches to the outpatient treatment of chronic
pain. Clinical Journal of Pain 1986;1:195-203.
21. Henry JA, Schechter MA, Nagler SM, Fausti SA. Comparison of Tinnitus
Masking and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. Journal of the American
Academy of Audiology 2002;13:559-581.
22. Vernon JA, Meikle MB. Tinnitus masking. In: Tyler RS, editor. Tinnitus
Handbook. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group; 2000. p. 313-356.
23. Henry JA, Trune DR, Robb MJA, Jastreboff PJ. Tinnitus Retraining
Therapy: Patient Counseling Guide. San Diego: Plural Publishing, Inc.;
2007.
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24. Jastreboff PJ. The neurophysiological model of tinnitus. In: Snow JB,
editor. Tinnitus: Theory and Management. Lewiston, NY: BC Decker Inc.;
2004. p. 96-107.
25. Jastreboff PJ. Tinnitus habituation therapy (THT) and tinnitus retraining
therapy (TRT). In: Tyler RS, editor. Tinnitus Handbook. San Diego:
Singular Publishing Group; 2000. p. 357-376.
26. Jastreboff PJ, Hazell JWP. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: Implementing the
Neurophysiological Model. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2004.
27. Davis PB, Wilde RA, Steed LG. Trials of Tinnitus Desensitisation Music:
neurophysiology-influenced rehabilitation. In: Patuzzi R, editor.
Proceedings of the Seventh International Tinnitus Seminar. Crawley: The
University of Western Australia; 2002. p. 74-77.
28. Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Myers PJ, Kendall CJ, Turbin MB. Principles and
application of counseling used in Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus
Management. Noise and Health 2009;11(42):33-48.
29. Drew S, Davies E. Effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba in treating tinnitus:
double blind, placebo controlled trial. Bmj 2001;322(7278):73.
30. Dobie RA. A review of randomized clinical trials in tinnitus. The
Laryngoscope 1999;109:1202-1211.
31. Henry JA, Rheinsburg B, Zaugg T. Comparison of custom sounds for
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32. Tchorz J. Utilizing Bluetooth for better speech understanding over the cell
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106
Changing Thoughts and Feelings Worksheet
1. From the Tinnitus Problem Checklist, write down one bothersome tinnitus situation
2. Check one 3. Write down the details for each skill you 4. Use your plan 5. Comments
or more of the will use over the next week. When you find
three skills to How helpful was something that works
manage the each exercise? well (or not so well)
situation please comment.
You do not need to
wait 1 week to write
ly
ly
Relaxation
ch
Ve rate
ll
your comments.
me
ta
mu
tle
exercises
e
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
breathe Deep breathing
Relax Imagery
imagine Other
ly
tel
ch
Plan pleasant
ll
me
ta
era
mu
tle
activities
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
golf, write, walk Activity 1
Pleasant
activities Activity 2
dance, paint Activity 3
Changing
thoughts
y
Old thought
ly
tel
ch
ll
me
ta
era
mu
Think
tle
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Feel New thought
You do not need to
ly
ly
Relaxation
ch
Ve rate
ll
your comments.
me
ta
mu
tle
exercises
e
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Relax Imagery
imagine Other
ly
tel
ch
Plan pleasant
ll
me
ta
era
mu
tle
activities
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Pleasant
Changing
thoughts
y
Old thought
ly
tel
ch
ll
me
ta
era
mu
Think
tle
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Feel New thought
You do not need to
ly
ly
Relaxation
ch
Ve rate
ll
your comments.
me
ta
mu
tle
exercises
e
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Relax Imagery
imagine Other
ly
tel
ch
Plan pleasant
ll
me
ta
era
mu
tle
activities
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Pleasant
Changing
thoughts
y
Old thought
ly
tel
ch
ll
me
ta
era
mu
Think
tle
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Feel New thought
You do not need to
ly
ly
Relaxation
ch
Ve rate
ll
your comments.
me
ta
mu
tle
exercises
e
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Relax Imagery
imagine Other
ly
tel
ch
Plan pleasant
ll
me
ta
era
mu
tle
activities
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Pleasant
Changing
thoughts
y
Old thought
ly
tel
ch
ll
me
ta
era
mu
Think
tle
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Feel New thought
You do not need to
ly
ly
Relaxation
ch
Ve rate
ll
your comments.
me
ta
mu
tle
exercises
e
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Relax Imagery
imagine Other
ly
tel
ch
Plan pleasant
ll
me
ta
era
mu
tle
activities
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Pleasant
Changing
thoughts
y
Old thought
ly
tel
ch
ll
me
ta
era
mu
Think
tle
ta
tre
od
lit
ry
No
Ex
M
A
Ve
Feel New thought
Descriptions of DVD and Audio CD
A DVD and a CD are attached to the back cover of this workbook. The DVD
contains four videos. The first two videos are about using sound to manage
reactions to tinnitus. The third and fourth videos are about two relaxation
techniques. The third video shows “deep breathing.” The fourth video shows
“imagery.” With the audio CD, a speaker explains how sound can be used to
manage reactions to tinnitus. The CD also includes sound tracks that
demonstrate many uses of sound for tinnitus.
Managing Your Tinnitus DVD
Managing Your Tinnitus, Session 1

Length: 35:38
This is the first of two videos about using sound to manage reactions to tinnitus.
In this video, Drs. Henry and Zaugg explain how to make a customized “sound
plan.” A sound plan is used to help you when your tinnitus is bothersome.
Managing Your Tinnitus, Session 2

Length: 26:30
This is the second of two videos about using sound to manage reactions to
tinnitus. Drs. Henry and Zaugg begin by reviewing the first video. They then
explain how to choose listening devices. This is followed by ideas for
improving your sound plan. Next, different ways of using sound are reviewed.
Finally, they talk about other things you can do to manage your reactions to
tinnitus.
Managing Your Tinnitus, Imagery Exercise

Length: 10:19
“Imagery” is another way to relieve stress and tension. This video shows an
imagery exercise. This exercise can help you manage your reactions to tinnitus.
Managing Your Tinnitus, Deep Breathing Exercise

Length: 12:48
There is no safe and consistent way to quiet tinnitus. There are, however, many
ways to feel better by using techniques that relieve stress and tension. One of
these techniques is “deep breathing.” This video shows a deep-breathing
exercise.
Managing Your Tinnitus Sound Demonstration CD
Total CD length: 01:16:18
TRACK 1 Sound Demo Introduction 1:14

TRACK 2 Types of Sound 6:48
TRACK 3 Environmental Sound, Music, Speech 6:33
TRACK 4 Examples of Soothing Sound 5:05
TRACK 5 Examples of Interesting Sound 2:48
TRACK 6 Examples of Background Sound 3:03
TRACK 7 Sound Demo Close 1:12
TRACK 8 Introduction to Sample Sounds 0:37

TRACK 9 Soothing Sound: Water 1:10
TRACK 10 Soothing Sound: Audio Bionics DTM E-Nature 1:10
TRACK 11 Soothing Sound: Audio Bionics DTM E-Air 1:11
TRACK 12 Soothing Sound: Audio Bionics DTM E-Water 1:12
TRACK 13 Soothing Sound: Music 2:40
TRACK 14 Soothing Sound: Imagery Demonstration 2:25
TRACK 15 Interesting Sound: Urban Legend (from “What Sticks”) 1:33
TRACK 16 Interesting Sound: JFK/Apollo 11 1:35
TRACK 17 Interesting Sound: Birds 1:34
TRACK 18 Interesting Sound: Animals 1:50
TRACK 19 Interesting Sound: Music 2:28
TRACK 20 Background Sound: Restaurant 2:22
TRACK 21 Background Sound: City Traffic 2:17
TRACK 22 Background Sound: Elevator Music 2:29
TRACK 23 Background Sound: Fish Tank 2:24
TRACK 24 Introduction to Deep Breathing and Imagery 0:24

TRACK 25 Deep Breathing Exercise 11:19
TRACK 26 Imagery Exercise 8:55

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How to Manage Your Tinnitus:

James A. Henry, PhD

James A. Henry, PhD

Design and illustrations: Lynn Kitagawa, MFA, Medical Media, VA Medical

Part 2. Step-by-Step Guide: Using Sound to 9

Part 3. Step-by-Step Guide: Changing Thoughts 37

Part 4. Protect Your Ears! 61

Appendix A: Description of Tinnitus 65

• If you notice any significant change in hearing, tinnitus, or ear-related

• Please contact an audiologist if you have any questions regarding the

• This workbook presents many different possible ways to manage reactions to

1 If you experience any of the following:

2 If you experience any of the following:

3 If you experience any of the following:

Can Tinnitus be Cured?

How are Reactions to Tinnitus Managed?

What About “Alternative” Methods?

Isn’t There a Drug for Tinnitus?

3. Changing Thoughts and Feelings

Feel less stressed about tinnitus

Have fewer emotional reactions to tinnitus

Almost never think about tinnitus

Feel like tinnitus is not much of a problem

All of these goals can be accomplished without changing your tinnitus. Go

Over the last week, tinnitus kept me from 0 1 2 3 4

Total of each column

Over the last week, I couldn’t understand 0 1 2 3 4

Total of each column

Total of each column

Total of each column

If you responded 1, 2, 3 or 4 to the statement

Grand Totals for A and B

Environmental Music Speech

When can I use Soothing Sound?

Ernest uses nature sounds from his

Lee plays recordings of Hawaiian music

Music as Soothing Sound

Speech as Soothing Sound

When can I use Background Sound?

Photo of tabletop fountain shown with permission from HoMedics, Inc.

• Fish tank noise

Music as Background Sound

Speech as Background Sound

See pages 90-91 in Appendix G for examples of people using background

When can Interesting Sound Help?

James is listening to an audiobook

Patrick is talking on the telephone with a

Music as Interesting Sound

Speech as Interesting Sound

Attention focused on:

25% of attention focused on Other Sound

50% of attention focused on Other Sound

75% of attention focused on Other Sound

100% of attention focused on Other Sound

How is Ben Using Sound to Manage Tinnitus?

Video: “Managing Your Tinnitus: What To Do and How

Key Points for Your First Sound Plan Worksheet

Ongoing Use of the Sound Plan Worksheet

How to Fill Out the Sound Plan Worksheet