EMDR Therapy For Tinnitus
EMDR for tinnitus is available in Paddington London, Potters Bar Hertfordshire and Online via Skype and Zoom.
EMDR is a newly tested approach to helping people suffering from tinnitus. Experiencing tinnitus can be scary and traumatising. It is important to find the right help and support in order to manage tinnitus. This article explains why EMDR can be helpful for tinnitus and why you can consider it as a non-intrusive comprehensive tinnitus management tool.
How EMDR can help with tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the experience of a sound or sounds which manifest in the ears which are not caused by an external sound source. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy. It is used as the leading evidence-based treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
So how could a treatment for PTSD help with tinnitus?
There are two main types of tinnitus experience. The first group are people who experience tinnitus as a minor irritation but are not unduly upset by it. This group is experiencing tinnitus. This is around 80% of people who are experience tinnitus. The second group of people who experience tinnitus are upset and, in many cases, traumatised by it. This is around 20% of people who experience tinnitus. They are experiencing problematic tinnitus.
Problematic tinnitus manifests because the tinnitus sufferer is reacting psychologically and somatically to tinnitus. Therefore, help is offered to help with the reaction to tinnitus rather than the tinnitus itself.
EMDR can help you get to a point where you no longer react psychologically or somatically to tinnitus. This is a crucial step towards tinnitus habituation and is where EMDR for tinnitus is very helpful.
EMDR specifically helps with:
EMDR can help people experiencing problematic tinnitus in the following ways.
- Trauma associated tinnitus (Tinnitus caused by something traumatic) Examples might include a road or bike accident, physical attack, something overwhelmingly stressful or a traumatic medical procedure.
- Process the trauma associated with tinnitus
- Alleviate PTSD symptoms contributing to the experience of problematic tinnitus
- Assist with anxiety and stress which caused tinnitus, anxiety and stress caused by tinnitus or both
- Help to stop a negative tinnitus reaction when tinnitus experience by making the stimulus less scary
- Give you the ability think more rationally and be less emotional in relation to tinnitus symptoms
- Mentally process expected and unexpected future experiences of tinnitus
- Help you to develop the resources needed to alleviate tinnitus symptoms
Study Showing the Efficacy of EMDR for Tinnitus
A study was carried out in 2019 which treated patients at Norfolk University Hospital NHS foundation Trust. This is a summary of its conclusions.
Tinnitus Symptoms Reduction
Study Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that the provision of tEMDR has resulted in a clinically and statistically significant improvement in tinnitus symptoms in the majority of those participants who took part. Furthermore, the treatment effect was maintained at 6 months after treatment ceased. This study is of particular interest, as the study protocol was designed to be purposefully inclusive of a diverse range of tinnitus patients. However, as a small uncontrolled study, these results do not consider the significant effects of placebo and therapist interaction. Larger high-quality studies are essential for the verification of these preliminary results.
PDF showing the full study details. 2019 UK Tinnitus Research © 2019 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.
EMDR Therapist
Matthew Alderton
BSc, MA, Dip, Dip Psych
I am a UKCP accredited Psychotherapist, Counsellor & EMDR Practitioner.
I use an integrated approach which includes EMDR to help with Tinnitus. This means that I help you work with your mind and body.
I offer a friendly professional approach to Tinnitus. I have worked in the mental health field for the past 9 years.
I look forward to helping you with tinnitus.
Call me on 07944 996 646
How does our EMDR therapy session for tinnitus work?
EMDR is a somatic psychotherapy. Preliminary sessions begin with an assessment and relationship building to help form a strong therapeutic bond. There might be aspects of psychotherapy which can help you to start to change your relationship with tinnitus as well as practical help. We might also sign post you to other healthcare professionals who can help alongside EMDR and psychotherapy.
EMDR for tinnitus will have a past, present and future focus. We may help you to process traumatic difficulties related to tinnitus or not related to tinnitus from the past as well as looking at current and future perceived difficulties.
What other approached would we recommend for tinnitus?
EMDR therapy for tinnitus FAQ's
How long will EMDR for tinnitus last?
EMDR therapy lasts for different lengths of time depending on the individual. For some people a one off trauma can usually be processed over a few sessions. If trauma is more complex or more severe or there are additional difficulties which need to be worked with in a psychotherapeutic way treatment takes longer.
How long will the positive effects of EMDR last for?
Providing you have completed EMDR therapy and processed all of your difficulties EMDR benefits will be long lasting. If you leave EMDR treatment early the positive affects can decrease post six months following treatment.
Will my tinnitus disappear after EMDR therapy?
Your tinnitus is unlikely to disappear after EMDR therapy, however it should become more manageable and you will not be aware of it most of the time.
Are there any negative side effects from EMDR therapy?
EMDR is a non-intrusive therapy. Side effects can include temporary increased emotions, more vivid dreams and possible awakening of suppressed memories. These affects are usually short term and the long term affects are positive and help restore you to homeostasis.
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