Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia Program

Tinnitus

Welcome to The University of Wisconsin Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia Program where we provide an individualized management plan to individuals age 18 and older with debilitating tinnitus, hyperacusis, and/or misophonia. Our dedicated graduate students, under supervision of our licensed audiologist, are committed to guiding you through a comprehensive and personalized tinnitus management program. Over the next 6-18 months, we focus on six foundational pillars to help you achieve habituation of the emotional reactions to tinnitus and enhance your overall well-being.

1. Education and Counseling: Empower yourself with knowledge about tinnitus, gaining control, and improving your quality of life through effective management strategies.
2. Sound Enrichment: Use sound enrichment by default over the next 6-18 months to help restore hyperactive brain activity to typical or near typical levels, leading to reduced attention to tinnitus and emotional acceptance over time.
3. Relaxation & Self-Regulation: Utilize your senses to break the tinnitus fight/flight cycle, incorporating techniques like exercise, diet improvement, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation.
4. Shifting Attention: Identify moments when you are not aware of your tinnitus, engaging in activities like talking with friends/family, listening to music, attending events, or watching your favorite TV show.
5. Optimize Sleep: Reduce stress and improve overall well-being through prioritizing quality sleep.
6. Reframing Negative Thinking: Identify and change unhelpful negative thinking and behaviors, positively influencing emotional responses.

Our holistic strategy aims to provide relief, and in some cases,  we may recommend a multi-disciplinary approach by referring you to additional providers.

The clinic runs on most Tuesdays during the academic year and summer term.

Hearing Aids and Sound Generators

Please note that sound therapy is an integral part of tinnitus management. Many hearing aids have built in sound generators. If you have hearing aids from Oticon, Phonak, GN Resound, Widex, Signia, or Starkey they most likely have a sound generator that we can activate and program. We cannot program hearing aids purchased from Costco, Beltone, MiracleEar, or over the counter hearing aid companies that sell locked hearing aids. If you have health insurance coverage for hearing aids, we encourage you to obtain your unlocked hearing aids under your insurance coverage before beginning the program.

Please go to Emergency Care or Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) immediately if you experience the following:

• Injury to your body
• Weakness or paralysis of any muscles in your face
• Sudden unexplained hearing loss in one or both ears
• Extreme anxiety or depression
• A current plan to end your life or a way to do it

Misophonia

The University of Wisconsin Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia Program employs a transdisciplinary approach to misophonia management. Currently there are no evidenced-based treatments available for misophonia. However, there are coping strategies designed to support those with misophonia. During your appointment, we will conduct a survey of the impact of misophonia, discuss current scientific research, and strategies to prevent and manage symptoms. Management strategies include strategies from a variety of disciplines such as audiology, psychology, neurology, and occupational therapy. If suggested, we will evaluate your hearing and measure your tolerance to sounds. In addition, in some cases we may recommend the use of ear level sound generators.

Candidates for misophonia management are 18 or older, at least average intellectual ability, and are willing to utilize sound therapy.

Telehealth

Per licensure laws, in order to receive services via video visit, you must be located in Wisconsin. We may deliver part of this program through the use of videoconferencing software and dedicated videoconferencing hardware and secure web-based programs. This information is transmitted over a web-based connection. Network connection speed affects overall quality of video and audio clarity. Upload and download speeds should be no less than 5 MB. To determine if you meet these requirements, go to www.speedtest.net  You can also use your mobile network on your smartphone, but know that streaming video can use a good amount of data so WiFi is preferred. If videoconferencing is not an option, we can implement a plan over the telephone. It is still recommended you have access to a computer to view the visual aids.

Cost of the Program

Our facility is a teaching clinic and your management plan will be done by doctoral graduate students in Audiology under the supervision of a licensed Audiologist. By using our services, you agree to permit professionals and pre-professionals to observe assessment and management sessions.

The cost of the tinnitus management program:

• $2,725: This includes two rechargeable standard level technology hearing aids with sound generators, a comprehensive evaluation, and a management plan over the first three visits. Additional visits are billed at $60 per 30-minute increments.
• $1,725: This includes ear level sound generators a comprehensive evaluation, and a management plan over the first three visits. Additional visits are billed at $60 per 30-minute increments. There is an extra charge for Bluetooth rechargeable sound generators. Please note that if you have hearing loss you will need a combination device.
• $500: If you have hearing aids with build in sound generators that you obtained from an audiologist from Oticon, Phonak, GN Resound, Starkey, Signia, or Widex. This includes a comprehensive evaluation, programming of sound generators, and a management plan over the first three visits. Additional visits are billed at $60 per 30-minute increments.

The cost of the misophonia management program:

• $1,525: This includes ear level sound generators a comprehensive evaluation, and a management plan over two visits. There is an extra charge for Bluetooth rechargeable sound generators. Additional visits are billed at $60 per 30-minute increments.

Insurance

This clinic is not affiliated with UW Health or UW Hospital. This is a self-pay clinic and if you wish to bill your insurance directly for Out-of-Network reimbursement you will be provided the procedure codes. The University of Wisconsin Tinnitus, Hyperacusis, and Misophonia Program does not bill insurance and is not responsible for the amount of reimbursement or the difference in the reimbursement and the cost of services. Medicare and many insurance companies do not cover audiological treatment options for tinnitus such as hearing aids, sound therapy devices, tinnitus maskers, tinnitus treatment, or counseling.

PLEASE READ

Please go to Emergency Care or Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) immediately if you experience the following:

• Injury to your body
• Weakness or paralysis of any muscles in your face
• Sudden unexplained hearing loss in one or both ears

Please go to Emergency Care or a Mental Health Clinic if you experience the following:

• Extreme anxiety or depression
• A current plan to end your life or a way to do it

Please contact your physician for a referral if any of the following apply to you:

• Symptoms of Meniere’s disease
• Tinnitus that pulsates with your heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus)
• Ear drainage
• Ear pain
• Dizziness
• Newly onset tinnitus, hyperacusis or hearing loss
• Progressive tinnitus or hyperacusis
• Conductive hearing loss
• Hearing loss worse in one ear