Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: How It Works and What to Expect

When you hear ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ears with no outside source, you’re dealing with tinnitus retraining therapy, a specialized hearing therapy designed to retrain the brain’s response to persistent ear noise. Also known as TRT, it doesn’t remove the sound—it changes how your brain reacts to it. Unlike drugs or hearing aids that mask the noise, TRT works on the root problem: your brain’s overreaction to harmless auditory signals.

This therapy combines two key parts: sound therapy, the use of low-level background noise to reduce the contrast between tinnitus and silence, and counseling, guided sessions that help you understand why tinnitus isn’t dangerous and how to stop focusing on it. Together, they teach your brain to file the noise away as background, like the hum of a fridge—something you notice at first, then forget.

TRT isn’t a quick fix. Most people see results after 6 to 12 months, and it works best for those who’ve had tinnitus for more than a year. It’s not for everyone—people with severe hearing loss or other neurological conditions may need different approaches. But for many, it’s the only treatment that brings lasting relief without side effects.

What you’ll find in this collection are real stories and practical guides on how TRT fits into daily life. You’ll read about how people use sound machines at night, what to expect in counseling sessions, and why some patients stop noticing the ringing entirely after months of consistency. There are also posts on related topics like how stress affects tinnitus, how hearing aids can support TRT, and why some supplements claim to help—even when science says otherwise.

If you’ve tried earplugs, white noise apps, or over-the-counter pills and still hear that noise, TRT might be the next step. It’s not magic. It’s training. And like any skill, it takes time, patience, and the right guidance.