Tinnitus is an involuntary sound perception originating in the head. As the tinnitus sound emerges from the subconscious and is perceived and processed, it can trigger a strong, negative emotional response.

Normally, the sound is fainter than the sound of a leaf falling to the ground. Yet to the people suffering from tinnitus, it can be intolerable.

At sub-cortical level, the auditory system fails to filter out the irrelevant tinnitus noise before it reaches the person’s consciousness.

The severity of tinnitus depends on how a person processes the tinnitus sound. If the person’s brain perceives the tinnitus as important or threatening, a negative emotional reaction occurs. This, in turn, heightens the awareness and attention paid to the signal and distresses the person even more. And a vicious circle is created.

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus can have many causes including hearing loss, exposure to loud sounds, an ear infection or stress. But one thing’s for sure. The cause won’t interest the people suffering from tinnitus as much as a way to find relief. In the vast majority of cases, however, tinnitus is not related to a serious physical condition. Tinnitus is a perception in the brain, and although it can cause great distress, there is help for it.

With a combination of straightforward counseling and acoustic therapy using the Beltone Tinnitus Breaker, you can offer significant relief from tinnitus. You can change the way your patient interprets and reacts to tinnitus, forging a new path in the patient’s acoustic neural network and permanently habituating the client to the tinnitus.                                       

“It’s been such a great experience to learn that tinnitus sits in the brain and that I could actually have an effect on it.”

Beltone Tinnitus Breaker customer

It’s like turning on the light

Think of tinnitus as a candle in a dark room. The light from it naturally draws your attention. Suddenly someone flicks a switch, and the room is bathed in light. Now the light from the candle becomes insignificant, and you can more easily concentrate on other things in the room.

The idea behind acoustic therapy is to decrease the contrast between the tinnitus sound and the acoustic environment your patient is in by “turning on the light”.

What is acoustic therapy?

The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker generates frequency-shaped sound that makes the distressing tinnitus noise less noticeable. As the brain is exposed to a higher level of acoustic activity and to a tinnitus signal that is perceived as weaker, the habituation process to the tinnitus perception and reaction is promoted.

As the brain gradually adjusts to a higher level of acoustic activity, the tinnitus signal is perceived as less important and gradually the mind pays less attention to it.

The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker is available in models for normal hearing people as well as for hearing impaired. It offers an extremely flexible line-up of discreet instruments to choose from. Everything from virtually invisible receiver-in-the-ear (RIE) devices and extremely small behind-the-ear (BTE) instruments to an instant microphone-in-concha (MIC) and a complete in-the-ear selection.

“It’s really relaxing to use, like the sound of silence.”

Beltone Tinnitus Breaker customer

Just the Tinnitus Breaker

The stand-alone Tinnitus Breaker is available for tinnitus patients with normal hearing or marginal hearing loss.

There are three different models (right to left):

• Stylish behind-the-ear instrument that offers both a program-selection button and volume control
• The market’s smallest receiver-in-ear model – lightweight and very comfortable to wear
• Custom-made, mini-canal model with the option of an extra large vent for a more open and comfortable fit

Tinnitus Breaker as a feature in the Beltone Reach hearing aid

No less than 70% of the people who suffer from tinnitus are also hearing impaired. With Beltone Reach, you can now help both their hearing loss and their tinnitus. With Beltone Reach, the Tinnitus Breaker algorithm is combined with the latest and most sophisticated hearing technology.

Choice in full line-up of:

• Custom made in-the-ear instruments
• Stylish line of very small behind-the-ear instruments
• The market’s smallest receiver-in-ear instrument

The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker is an advanced tool for treating tinnitus. The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker is a generator of broadband noise that can be programmed to match the patient’s individual therapeutic needs. The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker has a number of features designed for an effective, comfortable experience that ultimately helps one find relief from tinnitus.

Tinnitus and broadband noise

The goal of acoustic therapy is to train the patient’s auditory system to ignore the unwanted noise. Thus as a general rule, the broadband noise should not mask the tinnitus sound.

Sound modulation for added comfort

Sound modulation randomly changes the generated sound. The patient will experience the sound as a wind gently blowing in the trees. This can increase the patient’s acceptance of the Tinnitus Breaker and ease relief from the tinnitus.

“The sound is extremely pleasant, like a breeze rushing through the leaves of trees.”

Beltone Tinnitus Breaker customer

Amplitude level

Can be set between 0 – 90 dB SPL

Filters

High and low cut filters can be set in steps of ½ octaves. The fuller the bandwidth, the more the auditory system is stimulated.

Feature overview
   

The Beltone Tinnitus Breaker has a number of options designed for an effective, comfortable experience that ultimately helps to achieve relief from tinnitus.

• Open fitting        
• Program Control
• Volume control

• Tinnitus Breaker dispenser brochure
• Tinnitus Breaker counseling tool
• Tinnitus Breaker end-user brochure
• Tinnitus Breaker user guide instant in-ear
• Tinnitus Breaker user guide other models