All Ears Hearing and Tinnitus Podcast

Layne Garrett

Welcome to *All Ears*, the podcast where Dr. Layne Garrett — audiologist, tinnitus specialist, and founder of Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus — helps you take charge of your hearing health. Each episode dives into practical advice, cutting-edge treatments, and expert insights on hearing loss, tinnitus, hearing aids, and beyond. Whether you're struggling with that constant ringing, curious about the latest devices, or just want to hear life's moments more clearly, Dr. Garrett is here to guide you with compassion, science, and solutions. Tune in, turn up the volume, and discover how to reclaim the sounds that matter most.

  1. 2d ago

    What I've Learned Using Lenire for My Tinnitus Patients for Two Years

    After two years as Utah's only standalone full-time Lenire provider, Dr. Layne Garrett breaks down who responds to this FDA-approved tinnitus device — and who doesn't. Two 2025 studies from real US clinical settings — published in Communications Medicine and the American Journal of Audiology — show that patients with moderate or worse tinnitus consistently see meaningful improvement after 12 weeks of Lenire. In one study of 220 qualifying patients, more than nine out of ten showed a clinically significant reduction in tinnitus burden, with an average improvement of nearly 28 points on a 100-point severity scale. Patients with mild tinnitus showed very little benefit. That distinction now drives candidacy decisions. Lenire works by pairing precisely timed audio tones through Bluetooth headphones with gentle tongue stimulation — engaging the auditory brainstem from two simultaneous directions to drive neuroplastic change. The mechanism was validated in the 2024 pivotal trial published in Nature Communications. REM-verified hearing aid fittings and structured sound therapy remain foundational; Lenire belongs in the picture when prior appropriate care hasn't provided enough relief. Candidacy turns on three factors: severity (THI 38 or above), prior treatment history, and daily adherence commitment — two 30-minute sessions for 12 weeks, every day. Dr. Garrett holds the Au.D., CH-TM, and ABAC and practices at Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus. Click here to schedule an appointment in one of our Utah Clinics. To learn more visit our online learning center.

  2. Sep 11

    Sound Preference Testing: What It Reveals

    More than one in three people who invest in hearing aids stop wearing them regularly. Dr. Garrett makes the case that this outcome is almost entirely predictable — and preventable — with two steps most clinics skip. The first is a pre-fitting sound preference assessment: before any device is recommended, you listen. Research from 2026 in Trends in Hearing found that up to 40% of patients have a strong, stable preference for one manufacturer's sound processing approach over another. That preference holds across environments and over time. It's not a mood. Skipping the check means the device was selected without the most important input. The second step is real ear measurement — objective verification that the device selected for preference is also delivering the amplification your prescription requires. A 2021 systematic review found a 52% difference in user preference between REM-verified and non-verified fittings. About 70% of clinics still don't do it routinely. Margaret came in after three months with a "well-regarded" device she'd stopped wearing. Her fitting was technically correct. It just wasn't right for how she hears. Visit our online learning center. Click here to schedule an appointment in one of our Northern Utah Clinics. --- PODCAST KEYWORDS: hearing aid fitting process, real ear measurement, sound preference testing, why hearing aids don't work, hearing aid wear rate, REM verification, audiologist best practices, hearing aid selection, "why don't my hearing aids work", "hearing aids sound wrong", hearing aid fitting Utah, audiology evaluation

  3. Sep 8 ·  Video

    The Tinnitus-Antidepressant Connection: A Clinician's Take

    A 2026 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identified a direct neural pathway from serotonin-producing brainstem neurons to a key auditory relay station. Activating this circuit produced tinnitus-like behavior in mice; silencing it reduced that behavior significantly. The finding explains a clinical pattern flagged in FDA adverse event data and case reports for years — but without a mechanism, too easily dismissed. Dr. Layne Garrett breaks down what the OHSU research found, what the existing clinical record has been showing for years, and how patients who have noticed a tinnitus change after starting or adjusting an SSRI can make that conversation productive with their prescribing physician. This is a mouse model finding — not yet confirmed in humans — but it provides the biologically plausible explanation that's been missing from this discussion. Key clinical takeaways: document a clear timeline (when medication changed, when tinnitus changed), bring it to your prescribing physician, ask about alternative medication classes that don't primarily work through serotonin elevation, and ensure your tinnitus assessment includes a complete medication history. The AAO-HNS guideline already recommends against antidepressants as routine tinnitus treatment. Dr. Garrett holds the Au.D., CH-TM, and FAAA and practices at Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus. 0:00 When Patients Link Their Antidepressant to Tinnitus 1:00 Why Tinnitus, Depression, and Anxiety Drive Each Other 2:30 The OHSU Study: Three Findings That Change the Conversation 5:00 Marcus: When the Medication Timeline Finally Mattered 6:00 What to Do If Your Tinnitus Changed With Your SSRI 7:30 What the Evidence Means Right Now Learn more in our online learning center. Schedule an appointment in one of our Northern Utah Clinics. PODCAST KEYWORDS: antidepressants tinnitus, SSRIs tinnitus, serotonin tinnitus research, tinnitus medication side effect, tinnitus and depression, tinnitus treatment, medication and tinnitus, OHSU serotonin study, "can antidepressants m

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About

Welcome to *All Ears*, the podcast where Dr. Layne Garrett — audiologist, tinnitus specialist, and founder of Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus — helps you take charge of your hearing health. Each episode dives into practical advice, cutting-edge treatments, and expert insights on hearing loss, tinnitus, hearing aids, and beyond. Whether you're struggling with that constant ringing, curious about the latest devices, or just want to hear life's moments more clearly, Dr. Garrett is here to guide you with compassion, science, and solutions. Tune in, turn up the volume, and discover how to reclaim the sounds that matter most.

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