Question
How long is the average patient enrolled in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy before he or she can appreciate benefit?
Answer
TRT is not a quick fix or a cure, nor does it work for everyone. It is an habituation based protocol, and the goal is for the patient to get to the point where the tinnitus is a ''non-issue'' in their life. We usually work with the patients for about 2 years before they get to that point, but most patients see a significant improvement in the first 6 to 12 months. Hyperacusis is present in about 40% of the patients, and usually improves more rapidly than does the tinnitus.
BIO:
Susan Gold was appointed to the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1977. She joined the University of Maryland Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Center when it was founded by Pawel Jastreboff in 1990, and is currently the Senior Audiologist and Clinical Coordinator.
Now responsible for evaluation, directive counseling, instrument fitting, and specialized follow up services, she also lectures to audiologists and otolaryngologists about clinical management of tinnitus and hyperacusis using Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). In addition, she is involved in clinical research in the areas of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and auditory gain.
Ms. Gold is clinically certified in both Speech/Language Pathology and Audiology and is a member of ASHA, AAA, MD Academy of Audiology, American Auditory Society, and the British Society of Audiology.
Susan L. Gold, M.A., CCC SLP/A
Senior Audiologist / Clinical Coordinator
University of Maryland Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Center
University of Maryland Professional Building Suite 370
419 W. Redwood Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Phone: 410 328 1279
Fax: 410 328 5690
Email: sgold@smail.umaryland.edu
www.tinnitus-hyperacusis.com