Tinnitus is a perceived sound without an external cause. For the one in six Americans who suffer from Tinnitus, the sound or sounds they hear in their heads may be ringing, static, birds chirping, roaring, or even a running motor. Most people with Tinnitus believe they have a problem without a solution, usually because they have been led to believe that the only treatment options for Tinnitus sufferers are to reduce their stress level and to limit their intake of aspirin, salt, and caffeine.

Dr. Julie Eschenbrenner at Flatirons Audiology, Inc. says she offers real solutions for Tinnitus and other hearing issues. The focus of her practice is in the areas of comprehensive hearing care and Tinnitus treatment. A Doctor of Audiology, Dr. Eschenbrenner specializes in treating Tinnitus, often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” as well as Hyperacusis, which is sensitivity to sound.

This isn’t what she was planning to concentrate on when she started her studies in 1998, however. Originally, Dr. Eschenbrenner chose to work with hearing-impaired infants and their families. After receiving her Doctor of Audiology degree, she worked for an ear, nose, and throat clinic in Vancouver, Washington where she performed diagnostic and hearing aid services. Later, she moved to Longmont, Colorado and started an audiology department at a multispecialty clinic. Currently, Dr. Eschenbrenner operates a comprehensive hearing clinic for ages 3 years and up at her office in the Community Physician’s Pavilion in Lafayette’s Exempla Medical Campus.

Dr. Eschenbrenner says that she is committed to helping her patients hear and communicate more effectively with their families, friends, and colleagues by offering comprehensive and personalized evaluations and treatment plans. According to Dr. Eschenbrenner, Tinnitus affects 17% of the general population, or approximately 44 million Americans. She tests the ultra-high frequencies where Tinnitus usually exists. “The great thing about the comprehensive Tinnitus and hearing evaluation is that it enables me to be able to validate my patients,” says Dr. Eschenbrenner.

For example, she is able to tell these patients that they aren’t making up the noise(s) they hear in their heads. Dr. Eschenbrenner goes on to say that Tinnitus is not a condition in itself, but a side effect of something else going on. While there is no cure for Tinnitus, there are treatments available for it.
When a new patient comes in to see Dr. Eschenbrenner, she begins with a comprehensive evaluation to examine hearing and Tinnitus. She says the evaluation process addresses each individual’s specific needs. It isn’t about selling a specific hearing aid or an expensive treatment if the patient doesn’t need it.

Many individuals with Tinnitus also suffer from sound sensitivity, according to Dr. Eschenbrenner. The sounds from the environment get too loud, and they are uncomfortable for the individual. Dr. Eschenbrenner says she evaluates her patients for loudness tolerance in a controlled environment so that “I can then determine which treatment option is best for that particular patient.”

Flatirons Audiology offers several options to improve Tinnitus in addition to other hearing issues. The main treatment for Tinnitus is called Neuromonics, and Dr. Eschenbrenner says she is one of five audiologists in Colorado who offer it as a treatment option. She describes Neuromonics as an acoustic solution that works through a combination of music and sound, which in turn supports the neural pathway to change so that random noises are no longer produced. She explains that Neuromonics as a treatment option is customized for each patient, and may take place over several months. She reports that she has clients come in all the way from Montana and Idaho.

Dr. Eschenbrenner offers free seminars in order to inform and educate the public about Tinnitus and its treatment options. She says that when she offered an information seminar on hearing aids, 19 people showed up. “Then I offered an information seminar on Tinnitus, and 200 people showed up.” Dr. Eschenbrenner shares that she didn’t realize the magnitude of the problems people were experiencing with Tinnitus until she started her own practice.

Patient Randy Deeter says he heard about one of Dr. Eschenbrenner’s seminars on Tinnitus and decided to attend. Randy says, “I was so impressed by her knowledge and confidence that I made an appointment for a hearing test.” After the test, he decided to try a pair of hearing aids that Dr. Eschenbrenner recommended for him. “Within a couple of visits, she had me hearing things that I hadn’t heard for several years,” he says. Randy describes Dr. Eschenbrenner as easy to talk to and very knowledgeable about Tinnitus. He says he highly recommends that anyone with Tinnitus or other hearing problems visit her.

Office Manager, Koni Foster has been working with Dr. Eschenbrenner for approximately one year. She makes sure that the office runs smoothly, oversees patient scheduling, and ensures that patients are made to feel welcome. Dr. Eschenbrenner adds, “In addition to carrying these important responsibilities, Koni knows how to ask the right questions to fully utilize each patient’s insurance benefits. She is responsible for handling the billing with the insurance companies.”

Dr. Eschenbrenner has professional credentials as an audiologist. She is also known as an accomplished “cookie chef” who bakes fresh cookies right in her office. “I have Wednesdays off,” says Dr. Eschenbrenner, “and on Wednesdays, my two children and I make cookies together. They love it.” She adds that she has a variety of old-fashioned recipes she likes to use. She wants her patients to feel at ease with her and to have fun. Some of her patients have even been known to stop by just to say hello and sample a cookie.

Dr. Eschenbrenner received her bachelor’s degree in audiology and speech science from Michigan State University; her master’s degree in audiology from the University of Colorado at Boulder; and her Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville. She is a Board Certified Audiologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. Dr. Eschenbrenner has been licensed to practice audiology since 1998. She established Flatirons Audiology, Inc. in 2007.

For further information on her services and free seminars, visit the Web site at www.flatironsaudiology.com. To schedule an appointment, call Koni at 303-664-9111. Flatirons Audiology, Inc. is located at 300 Exempla Circle, Suite 365 in Lafayette.