Our Private Medical Tinnitus Competence Center
Tinnitus derived from the Latin word "tinnere" (translated: "to ring"), tinnitus refers to a perception of sound that can be experienced in one or both ears. This sound may manifest as buzzing, rushing, tapping, whistling, or as a completely different noise.
Tinnitus is a symptom that now affects nearly 10% of the population in Germany. For approximately 90% of those affected, however, this ear noise is not a significant issue. In fact, many individuals adopt a light-hearted or even affectionate attitude toward the symptom, saying things like, “I have a little man in my ear,” or “I always carry my orchestra with me.”
Subjective tinnitus, unlike the very rare objective tinnitus—which is caused by an internal sound source within the body—is only heard by the person affected. Subjective tinnitus cannot be acoustically measured, as it does not originate from sound waves but rather from misdirected nerve activity in the auditory system and other parts of the brain. It is unrelated to external acoustic environments.
Tinnitus can also be artificially induced in the majority of people with normal hearing, simply by spending a few minutes in a completely silent, soundproof chamber. Possible explanations for this phenomenon include an unusual influence on the normal volume regulation in the auditory brain or the unmasking of a pre-existing but previously unnoticed mild tinnitus, hidden by the usual background noise of the environment.
In such cases, this is referred to as compensated tinnitus. Those affected manage well in everyday life and can distract themselves from the tinnitus. However, individuals who are unable to adapt to their tinnitus often feel dominated by the ear noise. This is known as decompensated tinnitus.
Our Tinnitus Competence Center focuses primarily on patients with decompensated tinnitus. Additionally, we successfully treat patients with chronic conditions such as hyperacusis, sleep disorders, auditory processing and perception disorders (APD), and stress syndromes.
In addition to our experienced medical team and our specially trained staff member, Ms. Karrer, patients also receive support from Ms. Kappner, a recognized tinnitus specialist, hearing therapist, hearing acoustics expert, and psychological-pedagogical personality consultant.
Ms. Kappner has been developing solution and therapy approaches for cognitive processing problems such as tinnitus, hyperacusis, APD, hearing desensitization, and sleep disorders for over 15 years. She is a highly sought-after and respected expert in the field of cognitive auditory processing, both nationally and internationally.
