Testimonials

I love my job as a first grade teacher. In thirty seconds my life changed when I had a headache that was unbelievable. Two days later, I found out that I had a sudden hearing loss in the right ear and then the ringing. That loud, annoying ringing in my ears was so hard to take. The doctor put me on steroids and then told me to live with the ringing. I couldn’t stand it. My audiologist decided to give me a list of someone who is a specialist in tinnitus. That was when I went to Dr. Paula Schwartz and she recommended Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment. I had to do something and after nine months of using Neuromonics, I got my life back and loving my job even more. I find it easier to concentrate at my job and can sleep through the night. I have control of tinnitus and it does not have control of me.

J.B. age 58

It has been six months since I first contacted Audiology Concepts and Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic about Neuromonics. At the time, I was not able to sleep and suffered from a complete lack of hope to the point of ending up in the emergency room. My tinnitus had overtaken me to the point of despair.

After visiting with the friendly and trust-inspiring staff at the Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic, I was at least able to see some light at the end of a very long tunnel. I followed the process laid out for me and within a few weeks, started noticing some relief. With consistent use of the processor and a few more visits, I gradually relearned to live with a reduced level of tinnitus. My treatment still goes on and I am optimistic that continued progress with follow.

I recognize Neuromonics is not a cure for tinnitus, but it seems to be the most effective treatment out there. I think of it as "despair repair". My thanks go out to the wonderful staff at Audiology Concepts and the Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic for all their dedicated care.

C.W. age 50

I wanted to drop you a short note and tell you about my Tinnitus treatment to date. It has been approximately 5 months since I begin the treatment using the Neuromonics method prescribed by you.  I have now moved to the second phase of the treatment and it seems to be progressing smoothly.

As you recall, I was diagnosed with sudden on-set tinnitus in January of this year. (2007) Prior to meeting with you and your staff I was getting no help from my health care providers, They pretty much said “learn to live with it, there is nothing we can do for you”  Finally after visiting with University of Minnesota doctors, they recommend your clinic to me.

The treatment has made a huge improvement in my overall health.  Before using the Neuromonics the tinnitus became such a distraction that it was interfering with my work as well as my ability to enjoy my family and friends.  It has provided me with instant relief.  The tinnitus did not go away, but it has already become more of a background noise rather than the dominate sound it was before treatment.  I believe the second phase will have an even greater positive impact on me, as it relates to diminishing my awareness of the tinnitus.

Thank you for your support through this process.

T.S. age 62

I had hyperacusis for at least nine years. It made my life miserable in many places. High frequency noises like shopping carts squeaking in grocery stores, chain-links jangling on the playground swings, automobile brakes shrieking, utensils clanking and whining fluorescent lights were excruciatingly painful to me. Noise levels that did not bother other people sounded deafening to me.

I tried a listening program to treat the hyperacusis, but it only gave me temporary tinnitus. Several nutritional supplements that my mom make me try were ineffective.

When I started high school, my condition made me an easy target for bullying. Some of my classmates figured out that they could elicit "amusing" reactions from me by making high pitched noises. They would repeatedly use a paper-puncher without paper, rub the desks with their hands, and use their "mosquito" ring tones. Thankfully, in the classrooms, the teachers were able to stop them, but in the halls, some kids would walk up to me in the hall and start scraping their shoes on the floor. In the gym locker room they would make the locker doors squeak, and some even shrieked directly into my ear. 49,999 people can tolerate such noise assaults, but the one (me) in 50,000 find such high pitched noises agonizing. To me, these noises felt like someone was stabbing my eardrums. A few of the students did stand up for me because they could see my pain.

Mom considered home schooling me because, after months of being tortured, I was extremely stressed. She decided to consult one more audiologist who, fortunately, referred us to Dr. Schwartz and Neuromonics. Just a few months of Neuromonics treatment customized to my high frequency sensitivity increased my tolerance to a comfortable level.

It is wonderful to be rid of hyperacusis. My school days are no longer painful. I can concentrate on my academics without fearing noise afflicted pain. I can tolerate car and bus brakes. When the school bells ring, I no longer wince with pain. A fringe benefit is that I can now listen to music with headphones, whereas before the treatment with Neuromonics, even setting the headphones to the lowest volume was too loud to tolerate.

My family and I feel very lucky and extremely grateful that we found Dr. Schwartz and Neuromonics.

D.B. age 16

I am writing in regard to the results I received from Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment. Being close to a nervous breakdown, it brought me some wonderful results. It taught me how to control my problems. I have now completed the full treatment and if I have a bad day, I use the Neuromonics for awhile and I am fine. I could not enjoy my family, church and all activities before. Now thanks to Neuromonics treatment, I am my old self and really enjoy life again.

C.B. age 74

I was told that nothing could be done for my tinnitus by my ENT and that I needed to live with it for the rest of my life. I am a “non-standard” tinnitus patient in that I developed tinnitus as the result of an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma). The tinnitus became worse after surgery and I also developed a sympathetic tinnitus in my good ear. Neuromonics has helped place my tinnitus in the background of my awareness and it is no longer on center stage of my life. I used to feel tortured by the non-stop loud sound. I had difficulty relaxing and falling asleep, because of the tinnitus. I am very thankful for the help that I received from Neuromonics and from Dr. Paula Schwartz and Kathy Wieser. They make a great team and they have made a positive impact in my life and my family’s life, since I am a much happier and well-rested mom. Being able to get the restorative sleep I needed after having cranial surgery has made a huge difference in my recovery. I would recommend this treatment to anyone suffering from tinnitus, especially my fellow acoustic neuroma survivors. After 6 months of treatment, my tinnitus rarely bothers me and the tinnitus volume is much quieter in both ears.

S.S. age 42