Tinnitus Treatment Cost
How Much Does Tinnitus Treatment Cost at Sound Relief Hearing Center?
Before patients decide to come in and see one of our audiologists, they want to know three things:
- What does it cost to be evaluated?
- How much does tinnitus treatment cost?
- Are there any discounts or payment options?
We will answer all these questions here. If you feel that we did not answer your question, please email me at drjulie@soundrelief.com
How much does a tinnitus evaluation cost?
Initial testing costs $100. This includes a comprehensive audiological evaluation and tinnitus pitch and loudness matching. Roughly 20% of patients require additional tests based on their initial results. Your audiologist will ask for permission before conducting any extra diagnostics.
Additional testing that may be needed to diagnose you accurately may include:
Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) – 12 Frequencies with findings: $60
- DPOAEs assess inner ear damage and provide an objective measure of cochlear function
Loudness Discomfort Levels (LDLs): $25
- LDLs determine the levels of sound that may cause discomfort when heard at various pitches. These are often used with patients experiencing decreased sound tolerance (i.e., hyperacusis).
QuickSIN (Speech-in-Noise Testing): $20
- QuickSIN tests how well a patient processes speech in various levels of background noise.
While no additional testing may be needed, we want you to know what to expect to avoid surprises.
The only service not included in this range is excessive ear wax removal. Everyone has ear wax, and some people have more than others. The eardrum must be visible and the ear canal mainly clear to perform accurate diagnostic testing. The cost for wax removal is based on the time and equipment required to properly and safely remove the wax.
How much does tinnitus treatment cost at Sound Relief?
We have developed a proprietary tinnitus treatment protocol that consists of three main components:
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
- The devices used in conjunction with TRT
- Audiology services to properly fit, program, and verify the devices used with TRT
Below we explain the costs and considerations for each component of treatment.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Most patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus will benefit from Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) developed by Dr. P.J. Jastreboff in the late 1980s. TRT involves educational counseling, prescriptive sound therapy, and/or using a sound-rich environment for 12-24 months. Anyone with slight hearing loss and tinnitus can benefit from prescriptive sound therapy. Those with normal hearing and non-bothersome tinnitus may only need to consider a sound-rich environment and basic education regarding tinnitus.
The educational counseling of TRT at Sound Relief occurs over multiple visits during 12 to 24 months and includes our TRT Guidebook, videos, and additional resources.
Our TRT protocol can be accessed via our online portal, the Sound Relief Learning Center, or provided via printouts to our patients enrolled in treatment.
The cost for our TRT treatment protocol, including in-person visits and online access to all materials for 24 months, is $3,080.
Devices used in conjunction with TRT
Choosing the most appropriate devices needed for prescriptive sound therapy depends on the following factors:
- Lifestyle, functionality, and appearance considerations
- Severity of symptoms
- The extent of damage to the auditory system
Lifestyle, functionality, and appearance considerations
Choosing the best technology for your tinnitus sound generators (TSGs) should be guided by your audiologist, just as an optometrist recommends the best lenses based on the patient’s prescription.
Similarly, TSGs vary greatly based on the technology they utilize, from basic to premium, resulting in a wide price range for this treatment portion. Depending on your needs, questions that our audiologists will help you answer include:
- How important are the size and visibility of the devices?
- Is Bluetooth connectivity important?
- Do I want rechargeable devices?
- How long of battery life do I need?
- Do I want to be able to control my tinnitus programs with an app?
- How many tinnitus programs do I need?
- Will my lifestyle and/or environment impact my devices?
Our audiologists consider all these variables when creating your personalized treatment plan.
Severity of symptoms
When tinnitus is especially disturbing and distressing to a patient, their reactions are likely to be more severe. For that reason, the patient may need advanced technology for prescriptive sound therapy to work optimally.
Additionally, roughly 25% of patients with tinnitus also experience hyperacusis (decreased sound tolerance). Based on extensive research, these complex cases must begin with a gradual desensitization approach. This approach requires additional considerations for the TSGs compared to patients not experiencing hyperacusis. To address hyperacusis most effectively, patients typically need technology superior to Entry or Basic (see below).
With more advanced technology, our audiologists utilize more features to address fluctuations in a patient’s tinnitus perception and/or decreased sound tolerance.
Advanced technology will also have better sound quality to keep prescriptive sound therapy soothing throughout the TRT process. This is critical because an auditory system with more damage is more sensitive to sudden changes in pitch and volume. Smarter and faster technology can more effectively address these sensitivities providing a more comfortable experience for the patient.
Lastly, for TRT to work most effectively, prescriptive sound therapy must be worn as much as possible. That is why we recommend ear-level devices for most patients with bothersome tinnitus.
The extent of damage to the auditory system
A complete audiological evaluation and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) determine the extent of damage to the auditory system.
If hearing loss is present to any degree, it must be addressed as a component of tinnitus treatment. With extensive damage and more severe hearing loss, patients need technology capable of effectively treating their degree of hearing loss and distortion to the auditory system.
Why is this so important? Tinnitus is most often the result of sensory deprivation caused by changes to the auditory pathways, resulting in brain hyperactivity. This hyperactivity is perceived as tinnitus or ringing, buzzing, or hissing. To adequately address these alterations in the brain and the resulting hyperactivity, we must address the “elephant in the room” – the hearing loss and/or hearing changes.
After over 20 years of working with tinnitus patients, I have seen first-hand that if we do not address even minimal hearing loss, patients will not experience significant improvement in their tinnitus.
If patients ignore the hearing component involved with tinnitus, they will be disappointed in their results. In other words, we must provide the missing input back to the brain using prescriptive sound therapy to reset the auditory pathways responsible for tinnitus.
Device Pricing
One crucial detail is that we fit 97% of our tinnitus patients with two devices (a pair) – rarely, only one. Why? Many patients perceive their tinnitus in only one ear, and understandably, they believe they should only need one device. Unfortunately, if we only stimulate one side, the perception of tinnitus will often shift to the other side. Again, this occurs when we only stimulate one-half of a very complex system in the brain.
All the pricing below will be for a pair of ear-level devices to avoid this frustration. If your audiologist determines that your situation is unique, they may recommend something different.
The main difference between levels of devices relates to the sound quality and features included in the technology. The more expensive they are, the more fully automatic they will perform in complex background noise, as found in most restaurants today.
- Tabletop Sound Generator: $80 – $100 each
- Entry Ear-level Devices: $1,500 – $1,900 per pair
- Basic Ear-level Devices: $2,400 – $3,000 per pair
- Advanced Ear-level Devices: $3,200 – $3,800 per pair
- Deluxe Ear-level Devices: $4,000 – $5,000 per pair
- Premium Ear-Level Devices: $5,400 – $6,300 per pair
If custom-fit devices are necessary for lifestyle considerations, they generally add an additional $300 – $400 to the above-mentioned devices.
All technology levels of these prescriptive devices must be professionally fit and programmed by our audiologists to adhere to our TRT protocol.
At Sound Relief, we are a completely independent, family-owned audiology practice. We can work with any manufacturer we deem beneficial to our patients, but we typically utilize the Top 6 brands in the industry: Oticon, Widex, ReSound, Starkey, Signia, and Phonak.
Everything we fit includes a comprehensive warranty. Most warranties are for three years. If anything breaks or stops working during the warranty period, we will repair it at no charge. We also include an insurance plan on the devices for accidental loss or damage beyond repair. If a device is lost during the warranty period, we will replace each device once for a $500 deductible (each). We also provide all the wax filters and domes necessary to keep the devices working optimally at no additional charge during the warranty period.
Audiology services to properly fit and program the devices used with TRT
Audiology services cover the audiologist’s recommendations for TRT, including the prescription needed for sound therapy and the Real Ear Measures (REM) to verify that the prescription is met. These services are bundled into the TRT treatment since they are essential to patient’s success.
Examples:
Each case is unique, and the examples listed below are by no means the only options we offer; instead, we hope to illustrate different patient scenarios and give a perspective of costs.
Normal hearing and non-bothersome tinnitus: $285 TOTAL
- Tabletop Sound Generator: $100
- Diagnostic testing and education on tinnitus basics: $185
Normal hearing and moderately bothersome tinnitus: $4,480 TOTAL
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy for 24 months: $3,080
- Entry-level devices for prescriptive sound therapy: $1,400
Mild hearing loss and mildly bothersome tinnitus: $5,880 TOTAL
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy for 24 months: $3,080
- Basic-level devices for prescriptive sound therapy: $2,800
Moderate hearing loss, hyperacusis, and bothersome tinnitus: $6,880 TOTAL
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: $3,080
- Advanced-level devices for prescriptive sound therapy: $3,800
Want and/or need the best technology for hearing loss and tinnitus: $8,880 TOTAL
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: $3,080
- Premium devices for prescriptive sound therapy: $5,800
Summary
We have always believed that the best patients are the most informed. Our goal is that our patients understand exactly what they are receiving from Sound Relief and why. With the presentation of our Total Investment Breakdown sheet(s), our audiologists will explain their recommendations for treatment.
Discounts and Payment Options
9/11 Never Forget Discount:
9.11% off All Devices:
- All Active and Retired Military (Veterans)
- Active and Retired First Responders
Payment Options:
Care Credit (www.carecredit.com) offers low, monthly, fixed payments for up to 60 months with competitive APRs. They also have online applications and a payment calculator on their website to estimate monthly payments based on the treatment amount and duration to finance.
Here are a few examples of how affordable tinnitus treatment can be with Care Credit:
| Total Cost of Treatment | Monthly Payment | Payoff Period | APR % |
|---|---|---|---|
| $4,480 | ~ $218 | 24 Months | 14.90% – 17.90% |
| $4,480 | ~ $158 | 36 Months | 15.90% – 18.90% |
| $6,680 | ~ $235 | 36 Months | 15.90% – 18.90% |
| $8,880 | ~ $312 | 36 Months | 15.90% – 18.90% |