For some individuals, however, tinnitus is very invasive, causing significant suffering. This is called problem tinnitus. Individuals with problem tinnitus perceive it as a threat to their well-being. For these people, tinnitus interferes with their work, daily life, and even with their sleep. Often associated with tinnitus, but also experienced alone, hyperacusis can be equally disruptive.
Hyperacusis is a condition in which ordinary sounds seem unpleasantly loud or even painful.
In both tinnitus and hyperacusis, the cause may be an excessive responsiveness of the central auditory system. The Callier Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic offers a comprehensive program for tinnitus habituation and hyperacusis alleviation. Dr. Jastreboff proposed his treatment for tinnitus, known as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, in the mid 1980s. Dr. Jonathan Hazell together with Ms. Jacqueline Sheldrake were first to implement the approach in the United Kingdom in 1988. This therapy is based on a neurophysiological model of tinnitus generation, which was developed through years of animal and clinical research.