Acadiana's Leading Tinnitus Specialists

Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, or roaring sounds that you hear when there is no outside source making the sound. About one in seven adults experiences tinnitus, and roughly 20 million Americans deal with bothersome chronic tinnitus. For most people in Lafayette and the surrounding parishes, it shows up as a steady high-pitched ringing in one or both ears, often more noticeable in quiet rooms or at night.

There is no single pill or surgery that cures every case of tinnitus, but the right treatment plan can quiet it down, train your brain to ignore it, and in many cases make it stop bothering you almost entirely. At ACI Hearing Center we have helped patients reduce tinnitus impact by 70 to 90 percent using a combination of hearing aid sound therapy, Lenire bimodal neuromodulation, tinnitus retraining therapy, and counseling. The right plan depends on the cause and your daily life, which is why we start with a full evaluation.

The most common cause is hearing loss from loud noise exposure or natural aging. Other triggers include earwax buildup, ear infections, certain medications such as high doses of aspirin or some antibiotics, head and neck injuries, jaw joint problems (TMJ), high blood pressure, and stress. Sometimes tinnitus shows up alone and sometimes it is the first sign of hearing loss you did not know you had. A hearing test tells us which. Many tinnitus patients also have measurable difficulty understanding speech in noise even when their audiogram looks normal. Speech-in-noise testing catches that pattern and guides hearing aid programming for tinnitus relief.

Yes. ACI Hearing Center is one of the few audiology clinics in Acadiana offering Lenire, an FDA-approved bimodal neuromodulation device for chronic tinnitus. Lenire pairs sound delivered through headphones with gentle electrical pulses on the tongue. In the published clinical trial, 84 percent of patients who finished the 12-week protocol reported meaningful improvement, and benefit lasted a year after treatment ended. We assess every candidate to make sure Lenire is a good fit before recommending it.

For most patients with tinnitus and hearing loss, yes. Modern hearing aids do two things at once. They boost the sounds you have been missing, which reduces the brain's "search" for input that drives tinnitus. They also play built-in tinnitus sound therapy programs that gently mask the ringing while you adjust. Brands like Oticon, Phonak, and ReSound all offer hearing aids with dedicated tinnitus features, and we fit them right here in Lafayette.

A full tinnitus evaluation at ACI starts the process and is covered by most insurance plans. From there, treatment cost depends on the plan. Hearing aids with tinnitus features range from about $2,000 to $7,000 per pair depending on the technology level. Lenire treatment is a flat package price covering the device and the 12-week program. We offer flexible financing options including Cherry, CareCredit, and PowerPay with 0% interest plans for qualified applicants. We will always tell you the price up front, in writing, before you decide.

Most patients feel some relief within the first two to four weeks of using hearing aids with sound therapy. Lenire patients use the device 60 minutes a day for 12 weeks, with most reporting noticeable improvement by week six and full benefit at week 12. Tinnitus retraining therapy is a longer process — typically 12 to 24 months — but the results tend to be permanent. Whatever path we choose together, you will not be doing it alone. We see you every step of the way.

See an audiologist if tinnitus has lasted more than a week, is only in one ear, is getting louder, is keeping you from sleeping or concentrating, started after a head injury, or comes with hearing loss, dizziness, or ear pain. Sudden tinnitus with sudden hearing loss in one ear is a medical urgency — call us right away at 337-223-9448. For chronic tinnitus, the sooner you start treatment, the easier it is to get your life back.