Beyond the Ringing: Innovative Virtual Program Helps Veterans Find Relief from Tinnitus

“I didn’t know that not everybody heard it,” said the former negotiator. “I didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until somebody put a name to it and explained it to me.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, masks and increased screen time made it even harder for Block to understand and process sound. By the end of each day, she often felt exhausted and overwhelmed by even ordinary household noise.  

“I’d want my husband and children to stop moving, turn off every ceiling fan, walk only on the carpet,” Block recalled with a laugh. “My poor brain was struggling to process. It had all this extra input.”

After seeking care through VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s (VAGLAHS) Audiology department, Block was surprised to learn that tinnitus – not hearing loss – was her predominant issue.  

She is far from alone. Tinnitus, the perception of ringing, buzzing, humming, or other sounds without an external source, is the most common service-connected disability among Veterans, and the most frequently approved new disability. In 2025, 3,583,295 Veterans received compensation for tinnitus, according to VA’s Annual Benefits Report, 

But through the innovative – and popular – virtual Progressive Tinnitus Management program, VAGLAHS is helping Veterans find relief and improve their sleep, stress, attention, mood, and overall quality of life. 

“Tinnitus is so common, but it can be so debilitating,” said Delia Karahalios, Chief of Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at VAGLAHS. “Our goal is to address not just the condition, but the full impact it has on a Veteran’s life.”

A Whole-Person Approach

Part of what makes VAGLAHS’ program so unique is that it’s interdisciplinary, featuring Audiology, Mental Health, and Speech Pathology. This multifaceted approach to tinnitus care is a relatively new one — and it’s been a game-changer, said Karahalios, who helped create the virtual program back in 2015. 

The four-week, virtual program at VAGLAHS gives Veterans a foundation for understanding tinnitus while building a personalized “toolbox” of strategies they can use to find relief.  

The program is led by Karahalios’ colleague, Dr. Jana DeNisi, an audiologist of 24 years who specializes in tinnitus care. DeNisi is deeply passionate about spreading knowledge and hope to Veterans struggling with tinnitus. 

Many come into the program thinking there’s nothing that can be done, she said. 

“But actually there are many things we can do! And there’s so much research. I always try to be positive and optimistic. That’s the power of sound – it can actually make you feel better.”

Demand has continued to grow, and there are now four separate groups with approximately 30 Veterans each, booked out for weeks in advance. DeNisi has also mentored other tinnitus programs across VA, including at VA San Francisco Healthcare and VA Hines Healthcare.  

Four Weeks, Lifelong Impact

The integrated approach to tinnitus is based firmly in clinical evidence, said DeNisi. One study, to which Karahalios contributed, found that Veterans who completed this type of program saw less distress from tinnitus, less disruption to their daily lives, and lower levels of depression.

So what do Veterans learn, exactly? 

During the first week of the VAGLAHS program, Veterans learn what tinnitus is, how the auditory system and brain may contribute to the condition, and why factors such as stress and poor sleep can make the sound feel more noticeable.

Audiologists then share different ways to use sound as a therapeutic tool; the goal is not necessarily to cover up the tinnitus completely, but to use three primary types of sound to help mitigate its impact: soothing, background, and interesting.  

Soothing sounds are designed to help the Veteran feel better – whether it’s running water, crickets chirping, or a crackling fire. Background sounds – like white noise – are neutral and designed to help them to ignore the tinnitus. And interesting sounds redirect their attention and require active listening, whether it’s conversation with a close friend or engaging in an activity they love. 

As the program continues, speech-language pathologists share cognitive strategies, while mental health providers introduce tools such as mindfulness, relaxation exercises, sleep strategies and cognitive behavioral techniques. 

The virtual format has also drastically expanded access to Veterans in all communities across greater Los Angeles. “This really allows us to show Veterans how to ultimately live a better life,” said DeNisi.

Finding the Right Sound

Army Veteran Bradford Lusk – a former radar specialist operator – had experienced ringing in his ears for around 15 years, but, like Block, had largely accepted it as something normal.

“I’d always had ringing in my ears but thought it was from loud noises and so on over the years,” Lusk said. “I never paid a lot of attention to it.”

After mentioning the ringing to his VA provider and taking a hearing test, Lusk learned he had tinnitus, and DeNisi told him about the virtual program. He joined the class and was surprised by the range of information and strategies available.

“It was fantastic,” Lusk said. “It brought more awareness and brought it to light. A lot of people have this condition.”

As part of the class, VA provided Lusk with a Bluetooth sound device and access to a wide range of sounds that he could continue exploring at home. His preferred combo turned out to be a crackling fire and ocean waves.

“You get to figure out what you like. You can have fun with it,” he said.

“Sleep Nirvana”

For Block, one relatively simple device made a profound difference: a soft Bluetooth sleep headband with built-in speakers. Unlike playing sounds aloud from a phone or sound machine – which often interrupted her husband’s sleep – the headband allowed her to listen without disturbing him. 

She connected it to a tinnitus sound program she already used during the day, put the headband on beneath her CPAP mask, and went to sleep.

The combination, she said, was “sleep nirvana.” 

The headband is one of several devices introduced to Veterans during the program; all of the options are covered by VA at no cost. 

For Block, better sleep has created a positive ripple effect that’s carried over into other aspects of her life, both at work and at home. 

“My overall level of stress is down because I’m not having to deal with this constant auditory chaos,” she said. “I wake up feeling better. I feel better all day long and process sound better all day long.”

Speaking Up — and Trying Something New

Both Block and Lusk said they would encourage other Veterans experiencing tinnitus to explore the virtual care program and see how it can improve their lives. 

Block said Veterans are often trained to push through discomfort without calling attention to their own needs.

“We’re trained by the military to not complain,” she said. “It’s drilled into us to just get the job done, and that’s what I was doing … just getting it done and ignoring how hard I was having to work to do it.”

Recognizing a challenge and asking for help, she said, is not complaining. It’s recognizing that life may not have to be as difficult as it’s become.

Block especially hopes female Veterans and mothers – who are often focused on managing the needs of everyone around them – will stop and consider whether some of their own overwhelm or sensory strain may be treatable. 

“It’s so easy to think it’s normal to be exhausted, but maybe there’s a piece of the exhaustion that can be resolved.”