By Certified Hypnotist James Malone

In this post  you are going to learn about how hypnosis counseling has the potential to help you alleviate the suffering associated with tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a condition where the individual hears persistent noises that are generated internally rather than from the external environment. Some call it “ringing in the ears.”

For some sufferers, the noise is almost continual while for others it is intermittent. Frequently the sounds are more disturbing when the person is in a quiet environment and not busy, which is why tinnitus often disrupts sleep.

The nature of the sounds vary, the most upsetting are usually described as a high-pitched tone. Others experience a sound more similar to rushing air or white noise.

Although exposure to loud noises and certain medications are known to cause tinnitus, in many cases the origin is unknown.  In severe cases, it has the potential to severely disrupt a person’s quality of life.

There are some effective medical treatments for tinnitus including the judicious use of minor tranquilizers and anti-depressants. Adjunctive treatments such as sound masking therapy have also helped many as have chiropractic adjustments.

Many authorities make note that a combination of therapies can often produce the best results.  

Hypnosis is one modality that has the potential to help you cope more effectively with your tinnitus, although it is often misunderstood.

Clinical hypnosis involves the skillful use of naturally altered states of consciousness in order to change perceptions and responses in the subconscious mind.  

For example, it a person wants to stop smoking but at the subconscious level of mind, she perceives herself as “a smoker” the chances of success will be limited. A hypnotist can help her implant the suggestion that she is a healthy non-smoker for life and that smoking is no longer an acceptable behavior and this facilitates the process of change.

For the tinnitus sufferer, the key shift in perception is that the noise is not a threat to survival. The more you fear the noise, the more you focus on it, creating a vicious cycle of increasing distress.

Its interesting to note that most people with tinnitus are not bothered much by it-this is the place where you want to be.  

Let’s explore some primary concepts in the mind/body approach to alleviating the distress of tinnitus.

Point One- In mammals, hearing is the primary survival/protective sense (omni-directional, works in the dark, etc.). Any ongoing unexplained noise will be perceived as a threat and create fear.  Quite often a person will begin to panic that something is seriously wrong when they realize that the head noise is not going away.  This fear leads you to focus more on the noise. You may begin to believe that you are going insane and will not be able to function or that something is seriously wrong with you.

Point Two- A full medical workup is a MUST! This not only rules out any rare but possibly serious causes of the ear noise, but it should also reassure you. After the tinnitus has motivated you to seek a proper medical diagnosis it has now become a worthless sensory experience that can be safely ignored.

Point Three- Some researchers believe that tinnitus is similar to phantom limb pain-where an amputee continues to experience sensations as if the missing limb were still present. Tinnitus is really experienced in your brain rather than your ears. In the past some people desperate with tinnitus would have surgery to sever the cranial nerve that connects the ears to the brain yet still continued to hear the unwanted sounds. This suggests that although tinnitus may very well have a physical origin, it may become like a tape loop in the mind that can be safely ignored after your doctor has properly evaluated you.  

Point Four- the healing path for tinnitus is seldom linear, no practitioner, a skilled hypnotist included, is going to snap his fingers and just make the sound go away. Rather what you should expect is an increasing comfort level to where you have more good days and the tinnitus becomes more of an occasional nuisance rather than disabling.

Point Five- Clinical hypnosis is nothing like the comedic stage shows you might see on TV. You will be relaxed yet alert and always in control. Most report it to be a relaxing and pleasant experience not unlike daydreaming. Tinnitus clients are usually seen for 3-5 office visits. 

If you are considering working with a hypnosis practitioner for your tinnitus, make sure he or she has some expertise in this area so that you derive maximum benefit from the experience. If you live in the Greater NJ area, it would be an honor to be of service to you, my telepone number is (732) 714-7040.  Those of you in other parts of the world, still please feel free to connect with me as I may of know of a skilled practitioner in your vicinity.

P.S.-Since I am not a physician, I cannot give you a medical diagnosis. You must visit your doctor first to ensure a serious underlying health problem is not causing your tinnitus.