Tinnitus: Turning the Volume Down Paperback – Illustrated, March 15, 2010

Having Tinnitus myself since six months, I was given the standard ENT answer: "you'll have to get used to it". This book, written by a person who actually suffered and overcame it, provides valuable insight into the nature of Tinnitus - a condition which results from a combination of the ear and the brain. It provides also several possible treatments with different rates of success. On the downside, the book repeats itself several times, and it's always referring to the author's commercial Tinnitus Reduction Program. I'm giving it five stars for giving me a deeper understanding of the condition and above all, for giving me hope.25/July/2009 Update: I've found a much better book than this one. I absolutely recommend it if you suffer from this condition or just want to learn more about tinnitus - Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: Implementing the Neurophysiological Model

Total waste of time. I bought his cds and went to see Jennifer. She claimed in 8-12 sessions she will get rid of your tinnitus. I went for 13 sessions and it got a little better. Anyone who says they will get rid of it for you is a charlatan. They will only frustrate you. The only way to deal will it is to accept it and use mindfulness with CBT. Go to the ata.org website and find the video by Bruce Hubbard. He says you will habituate in 6-18 months. The key is to accept it, and use mindfulness to meditate to your tinnitus. Slowly, you will let down your hyper vigilance and begin to habituate.

Kevin is a real expert in the field of Tinnitus which is more than I can say about my own Doctors. The book completely explains what is happening to you when you suffer from tinnitus. I'm still reading it so I need to finish it yet. I wish he wasn't so expensive on his CD's for help with the Tinnitus so I could get more help. Even though he explains it all there is not any quick cure for this problem so although I understand it better I still endure it. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has Tinnitus or lives with someone who has it.

This book was well written and provides a good starting place for identifying physiological and emotional sources of severe tinnitus. Other than the persistent thread throughout the book recommending the need to consider hypnotherapy and the lack of viable hypnotherapists specializing in tinnitus, the book did not come across as a sales pitch or claim to provide an "instant cure". The author stresses the need for patience and the application of a multi-modal approach, which seems prudent for attacking tinnitus. It's early in our road to healing, therefore I cannot confirm whether the methods suggested in this book will ultimately result in a reduction in the perceived noise and associated distress, but most of it makes good sense and can be applied with minimal financial investment. I definitely recommend this book as a source of encouragement for those suffering from severe tinnitus.

Although this book has above average information on tinnitus, I have a problem with the fact that it's about how to DEAL with tinnitus!There is very little scientific info, or breakthrough information. If you don't all ready know most people believe you can't cure tinnitus. This is why the author spends his time speaking about how to deal with it.I just feel like a lot is missing in the scientific realm. As someone who has had tinnitus for 10 years I believe there are ways to improve it (that are not artificial like most are in the book). I just would like to see more charts, and learn more about the history of the ear and tinnitus, and the scientific properties, frequencies.Some of this info is in the book, but again it's written from a "how to deal" perspective which I don't like. I would like a more hopeful, and yet scientific approach.Lastly I HATE how this author talks about IPODS. If anyone watches the news everyone from Bono, to Mettallica talk about the dangers of I-PODS. Yet since this guy talks about how to deal, he thinks and IPODS is great for masking the noise. I know from my experience and my wife's, that IPODS make Tinnitus worst even at a low volume. The sound is so directly close to your ear! I don't have all the scientific info, but I know from experience this is bad.......My Tinnitus started from riding a lawn mower and blasting headphones, than turning up the volume even more with one of those Radioshaq volume boosters. So to me IPODS are stupid, it's also tough to regulate the volume from song to song and you could easily set off your tinnitus with an IPOD or a form of an IPOD.

Although I did get two important bits of information that were helpful to me, the first part of the book was a total waste of time to read. It was poorly written and seem to lack planning and basic writing skills. As a bilateral tinnitus sufferer for many years, the best advice in the book was "take Xanax." The other advice, which I have been doing but did not realize why, was to stay busy, very busy. However, that advice can only go so far. My advice to tinnitus sufferers: put white noise on an iPod, get a good headset, and wear them often. Oh, and get a prescription for a low dose of Xanax. For night time, hook up the iPod to speakers and make sure your white noise will last all night. Be prepared for mood swings and keep your environment as stimulation free as you can. The tinnitus overstimulates the brain, and additional stimulation can send you "over the edge."

My sister in law recommended this book. She is a therapist. Thank God, I ordered it. Tinnitus reduced by 90%. I was terrified..!!! There is HOPE and a way out of the noise. You will be amazed at what is really causing the noise in your head. It was not just the loud concert, or whatever...

I have never bothered to submit a review before but after being largely disapointed with this book, I felt I should. Then I find others have already noted there is very little of actual worth in the book and that much is just rehashing and inducement to buy further products. I should have read the existing reviews before I bought the book !

This book has some dangerous advice on benzodiazepine use for Tinnitus. The author claims that benzos solve (or help with) the problem and that, if taking at a low dose, you won't become hooked up on them. False. I was given clonazepam by the doctor and, due to this book, I encouraged him to keep on prescribing them. What a big mistake!The tinnitus got worse, and I developed hyperacusis (that I didn't have in the first place). Tolerance developed as well, and getting off benzos is going through hell. Now, two years laters, I'm still tapering. I hope to become benzo-free in a month or so, and have all the road to recovery and habituation in front of me. Back to square one, but much worse. I wish I had never come across this book, and never taken benzos for tinnitus. It may be a short-term (days) solution for some, but you risk becoming dependent on them, worsening your tinnitus, and developing hyperacusis during use or withdrawal. Readers beware!

great

Well written.

An easy read from someone who truly understands the subject very well. I found it informative, helpful & above all comforting! I am putting into practice all that Kevin suggests & I am very pleased to say that I am coping much better. Bad days? sure - as we all do with or without tinnitus! Since "we go where we focus" the challenge is to ignore it & get on with other, more enjoyable "stuff" - to shut it out & become someone who simply "has" tinnitus as opposed to someone who "suffers" from tinnitus! Great advice! There should be more therapists like Kevin out there....

The author basically encourages the reader to take antidepressants as means of treatment to tinnitus, i stoped reading after a couple of pages. I would not recommend this book to anyone.