Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

For many people with tinnitus, the sound itself isn't the only problem — it's the reaction to it. The frustration, the hyperawareness, the way it dominates your attention even when you wish it wouldn't. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, or TRT, is a structured approach designed to address exactly that. Rather than trying to eliminate the sound, it works to change how your brain processes and responds to it, so tinnitus gradually fades into the background of your awareness.

Smiling female audiologist holding glasses stands and talks to an elderly woman seated in an office with plants and paperwork in the background.

Close-up of a female audiologist using an otoscope to examine a patient's ear.

How TRT Works

TRT is grounded in the neurophysiological model of tinnitus — the understanding that tinnitus becomes distressing not just because of the sound, but because of the connection the brain forms between that sound and a stress or threat response. Over time, that reaction becomes automatic, keeping tinnitus front and center.

TRT works to undo that pattern through two main components — sound therapy and educational counseling — delivered over a structured period of time. Here's what that typically looks like:

Tinnitus education: Understanding what tinnitus is and why your brain responds to it the way it does can meaningfully reduce the distress around it. This is a core part of the TRT process.
Sound therapy: Low-level background sound delivered through hearing aids or dedicated sound generators gradually helps the brain reclassify tinnitus as a neutral, unimportant signal.
Regular follow-up: TRT unfolds over several months. Appointments give us the opportunity to track your progress and adjust the approach as needed.
Ongoing support: We work with you throughout the process, not just at the start. How you're responding to treatment shapes what comes next.

Who Is a Good Candidate for TRT?

TRT can be effective across a wide range of patients — those with mild symptoms and those who've been significantly affected for years. It tends to be especially helpful for patients whose tinnitus comes with heightened emotional distress, sound sensitivity, sleep disruption, or anxiety.

A thorough tinnitus evaluation is the starting point. It helps us determine whether TRT is the right fit, and what combination of approaches makes the most sense for your specific situation.

Audiologist explaining something to a patient

How TRT Fits Into a Broader Tinnitus Management Plan

TRT is rarely a standalone solution, and that's by design. Most patients benefit from a layered approach that might include hearing aids, sound therapy devices, behavioral strategies, and ongoing support.

At Audiologic Solutions, our approach to tinnitus management reflects that. We don't treat tinnitus with a single tool. Dr. Erin Walborn, who holds the CH-TM (Certificate in Tinnitus Management) designation and serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the American Tinnitus Association, takes a holistic view of each patient's tinnitus experience. Her work integrates evidence-based audiology with mind-body approaches — including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an ATA-approved behavioral therapy — as well as certified protocols from the Polyvagal Institute designed to address nervous system dysregulation, sound sensitivity, and anxiety.

TRT fits naturally within that framework. The counseling component aligns closely with what we do with every tinnitus patient: help you understand the condition, reduce the fear and frustration around it, and give your brain the support it needs to stop amplifying the signal.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Your first appointment will include a comprehensive hearing evaluation and a detailed tinnitus assessment. We'll discuss when your tinnitus started, what makes it better or worse, how it's affecting your sleep and concentration, and what you've already tried. That information shapes everything that follows.

From there, we build a management plan specific to you. For patients pursuing TRT, that means regular appointments over a period of months, with counseling sessions and sound therapy that we adjust based on how you're progressing. There's no one-size-fits-all timeline — some patients notice meaningful improvement within a few months, others take longer. What matters is that the process is working in the right direction.

Audiologist with headphones on in front of the hearing test device

Schedule a Tinnitus Evaluation in Rensselaer, Hudson, Queensbury, or Saratoga Springs

If tinnitus has been affecting your quality of life, you don't have to keep waiting for it to improve on its own. We offer tinnitus evaluations at all four of our locations, and our team — led by Dr. Walborn's specialized expertise — is equipped to help you find a path forward that genuinely fits your life.

Call us at (518) 267-7750 to schedule your appointment. We'll take the time to understand what you're experiencing and put together a plan that addresses both the sound and the way it's affecting you.