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300: Roadmap to Tinnitus Relief – with Ben Thompson
While many perceive tinnitus as a problem solely with the ears, it is actually a neurological condition occurring in the auditory brain.
The Auditory Brain Connection
Because the brain possesses neuroplasticity—the ability to adapt and change—this “brain buzz” is not necessarily a permanent condition.In a deep dive into the subject, Dr. Ben Thompson, an audiologist and tinnitus expert, reveals that Tinnitus is not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying issue within the auditory system.
The Impact of Stress
A healthy brain typically utilizes a filter mechanism to tune out background neural noise. However, during periods of significant stress, grief, or health anxiety, this filter weakens. This leads to a state of hypervigilance or a “startle response,” causing the brain to perceive tinnitus sounds as much louder and more threatening than they truly are.
Clinical Pathways to Recovery
Recovery begins with sound therapy to avoid total silence, utilizing soft white noise to create a soothing environment, and maintaining proper sleep hygiene to regulate the nervous system.
For persistent cases, specialized interventions such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) and bimodal stimulation can help the brain habituate to the noise. The outlook is highly positive: with a structured protocol, 80% of patients experience a significant reduction in symptoms within six months.
In this podcast, you will learn:
- Why tinnitus is a neurological “brain buzz” rather than a disease.
- The way high stress and hypervigilance weaken the brain’s internal filters.
- Immediate strategies for relief, including sound therapy and sleep hygiene.
- Clinical options like Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) and AI-driven hearing aids.
- How to move the body out of “fight-or-flight” to achieve long-term relief.
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