Tinnitus Relief and Sleep

DL came to me on a Friday with complaints of tinnitus. He reported a history of noise exposure and has had ringing in his ears for many years. This year he was diagnosed with cancer and has begun treatment including radiation.

Approximately three weeks ago, DL’s tinnitus changed. Two new sounds started, in addition to the longstanding ringing. During the day, the sounds were manageable but nighttime was a different story. If he woke up for any reason, during the night, the tinnitus became so loud he could not go back to sleep. It had reached the point where he was only sleeping a couple of hours a night. By the time he arrived in my office he was desperate for sleep and relief from the tinnitus.

After counseling, we called and made an appointment with and Ear, Nose, and Throat physician for the following Monday. We then called many stores to locate a bedside masker. We helped him order the masker so he could pick it up that afternoon. This device plays an assortment of sounds such as rain, waves crashing, etc. The masker provides a more pleasing sound so that the tinnitus is not as noticeable.

The following Tuesday, I called DL to see how he was doing. He said the bedside masker has allowed him to sleep for the first time in three weeks. He also was pleased with his visit to the ENT doctor the previous day. He has started on a vitamin supplement and sees improvement in the new sounds already. His final comment to me was: “I feel like I owe my life to you and your staff.” He was so thankful that we did not give up until we had some options for him.