If you were told there is “nothing we can do” for your tinnitus or your doctor said you should “just live with it,” this article is for you.
At California Hearing Center in San Mateo and San Carlos, and in our partner clinic Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center (All Ears Alaska), we hear the same story every week: someone finally works up the courage to ask for help, only to be dismissed in a 10-minute appointment. The ringing is still there, their fear is worse, and they’re left believing there are no options.
That’s not the truth. While there isn’t a single magic “cure” yet, modern tinnitus care offers many ways to reduce how loud, intrusive, and stressful tinnitus feels — especially when you work with a tinnitus-focused audiologist like Dr. Emily E. McMahan, AuD.
My doctor said there’s nothing they can do for my tinnitus. Is that true?
In most cases, no.
When a doctor or provider says “there’s nothing we can do,” it usually means:
- They don’t specialize in tinnitus or sound sensitivity.
- They don’t have time in their clinic model for tinnitus counseling and follow-up.
- They aren’t familiar with modern tinnitus management and devices like Lenire®.
It does not mean your tinnitus is hopeless.
In reality, there are many evidence-based tools that can help you:
- Lower the perceived loudness of tinnitus.
- Reduce the anxiety and stress attached to it.
- Retrain your brain to move tinnitus into the background of your life.
You can explore some of these options in our Tinnitus Therapy overview and our Lenire® tinnitus therapy in San Mateo page.
Why “just live with it” is so damaging
For many people, the words they hear in that first appointment cause almost as much harm as the tinnitus itself.
“Just live with it” often lands as:
- “Your suffering doesn’t matter.”
- “We don’t believe you or don’t know what to do with you.”
- “You’re on your own from here.”
That kind of message can:
- Increase anxiety and panic about tinnitus.
- Make sleep even harder.
- Discourage people from seeking the specialized care that actually could help them.
In other words, “just live with it” doesn’t solve the problem — it often makes the emotional side of tinnitus worse.
How Dr. Emily McMahan responds to “there’s nothing we can do”
Dr. Emily E. McMahan, AuD has built her career around saying the opposite.
She is a nationally recognized tinnitus specialist who:
- Owns and leads Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center, a clinic known for its focus on tinnitus and sound sensitivity.
- Co-authored a real-world evidence study on Lenire® — a bimodal neuromodulation device for tinnitus — published in Nature Communications Medicine. You can find it through Lenire’s research page.
- Serves on the American Tinnitus Association Board of Directors.
- Has been featured in media and education pieces like “Retrain the Brain to Fight Tinnitus” (Washington Post feature), Lenire® webinars, and her radio interview recap on tinnitus and hearing loss.
Her message is simple:
You deserve more than “there’s nothing we can do.” You deserve a specialist who will listen, explain what’s happening, and walk with you through a structured plan.
That’s exactly why she partners with California Hearing Center to bring her tinnitus expertise and Lenire® protocols to patients in the Bay Area.
What modern tinnitus care can actually do
Modern tinnitus care doesn’t promise to “erase” tinnitus overnight — but it can dramatically change your experience of it.
Depending on your evaluation, a tinnitus-focused audiologist might use:
- Education and counseling to explain what tinnitus is, how the brain processes it, and why your nervous system is stuck on high alert.
- Sound therapy or sound enrichment to give the brain something else to focus on and reduce the contrast between tinnitus and silence.
- Hearing solutions if there is hearing loss, to restore access to important sounds and reduce the brain’s “gain” on tinnitus.
- Coping and nervous-system strategies to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and break the “tinnitus–stress–tinnitus” cycle.
- Advanced treatments like Lenire®, which combine customized sound with gentle tongue stimulation to help retrain how the brain responds to tinnitus.
At California Hearing Center, you can read more about these options on our Tinnitus Therapy page and our dedicated Lenire® in San Mateo with Dr. Emily McMahan page.
When a second opinion for tinnitus is absolutely worth it
If any of the following are true, a second opinion with a tinnitus specialist is more than reasonable — it’s wise:
- You were told “there’s nothing we can do” or to “just live with it.”
- Your tinnitus is affecting your sleep, mood, or ability to work.
- You feel anxious, depressed, or panicked about the sound.
- Your tinnitus is only in one ear or has changed suddenly.
- You’ve tried simple masks or apps but still feel overwhelmed.
In cases of sudden hearing changes, single-sided tinnitus, or tinnitus with dizziness/balance problems, you should also talk to your primary care doctor or ENT to rule out urgent medical issues. After that, a tinnitus-focused audiologist can help you build a long-term management plan.
Why referrals to tinnitus specialists matter
No one provider can do everything — and that’s okay.
What matters is that when a doctor doesn’t have the tools or training to manage tinnitus, they refer you on instead of saying “good luck.”
A good tinnitus referral might be to:
- A tinnitus-focused audiologist (like Dr. McMahan or the CHC audiology team).
- An ENT or neurologist if medical red flags are present.
- A mental health professional familiar with tinnitus-related anxiety or trauma.
In many cases, the best results come from a team approach — audiology, medicine, and mental health all playing a role.
If you’re a provider in the Bay Area looking for a tinnitus-focused partner for your patients, our clinics in San Mateo and San Carlos are happy to collaborate.
How California Hearing Center and Dr. McMahan work together
Through our collaboration, patients in the Bay Area can access both local, ongoing care and the expertise of a nationally recognized tinnitus specialist.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- California Hearing Center (San Mateo & San Carlos): comprehensive tinnitus evaluations, hearing care, and day-to-day support.
- Special Tinnitus & Lenire® Clinics in San Mateo: appointment blocks where Dr. Emily McMahan personally evaluates and guides patients who may benefit from Lenire® or advanced tinnitus planning.
- Ongoing follow-up: shared protocols and communication between Dr. McMahan and the CHC audiology team, so you don’t feel like you’re starting over at every visit.
That means you no longer have to choose between flying to Alaska or being told to “live with it” in a rushed local appointment. You can get both: world-class tinnitus expertise and local, accessible care.
FAQ: “Nothing we can do” and tinnitus
Why did my doctor tell me there’s nothing they can do for my tinnitus?
Usually it’s because they don’t specialize in tinnitus and aren’t familiar with modern management tools. Their clinic may not be set up for the extended counseling and follow-up tinnitus patients need. It doesn’t mean tinnitus is untreatable — it means you may need to see a different type of provider, such as a tinnitus-focused audiologist.
Is there really nothing you can do for tinnitus?
No. While there is no single, guaranteed cure yet, there are many ways to reduce tinnitus loudness, distress, and impact on your life. These include sound therapy, education and counseling, hearing solutions, nervous-system strategies, and advanced treatments like Lenire® when appropriate.
When should I get a second opinion for tinnitus?
You should strongly consider a second opinion if tinnitus affects your sleep, mood, or daily function, if it started suddenly, if it is only in one ear, or if you’ve been told to simply “live with it.” A specialist can rule out serious medical issues and build a practical tinnitus management plan.
Can Lenire® help if I’ve been told to live with my tinnitus?
Lenire® is not right for everyone, but many people with bothersome tinnitus have seen meaningful improvement when using it under the guidance of a trained clinician. If you’ve been told there’s nothing that can be done, a Lenire® assessment with a specialist like Dr. McMahan may open new options.
Do I have to fly to Alaska to see Dr. McMahan?
No. Through her partnership with California Hearing Center, Dr. McMahan brings her tinnitus expertise and Lenire® protocols to San Mateo on a clinic basis. Our local audiology team works alongside her so Bay Area patients can complete most or all of their tinnitus journey without leaving California.
If you were told to “just live with it,” you deserve a second opinion
If your tinnitus has been brushed off, we want you to hear this clearly: you are not out of options.
At California Hearing Center in San Mateo and San Carlos, we work closely with Dr. Emily McMahan to offer:
- Thorough tinnitus evaluations.
- Evidence-based management and counseling.
- Advanced options like Lenire® tinnitus therapy in San Mateo.
If you’re in the 20% where tinnitus feels unmanageable, schedule a tinnitus evaluation in San Mateo or San Carlos.
- Request a Tinnitus Therapy appointment
- Learn about Lenire® with Dr. Emily McMahan in San Mateo
- Visit the Tinnitus Knowledge Hub for more articles
You don’t have to simply “live with it.” With the right team, you can learn to live well again — even if tinnitus is part of the picture.