I am looking for ideas and resources to help a tinnitus patient I saw
yesterday. Clinically this patient presents with minimal high frequency
hearing loss bilaterally a 3-8K but complains of severe tinnitus. It is
interesting that she localizes the tinnitus to the top of her head rather than
to her ears. She describes the tinnitus as being a cricket like sound
changing to a buzzing and sometimes accompanied by headaches. She has been
worked up (elsewhere) with results significant for slightly prolonged I-III on
BERA but normal MRI and normal otoacoustics. I'm trying maskers with her now
but I am not optimistic based on her reaction in the office and also
considering the fact that she does not experience the tinnitus as an aural
symptom. She is not sleeping at night and has tried a number of
anti-depressant meds. She is really quite desparate and thus I am open to all
ideas others may have. Also, I recall a post a few months ago from someone in
Indiana or Ohio(?) working experimentally (?) with severe tinnitus patients.
That info may be helpful for this patient. Thanks Sally Whitson
