Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Hearing Research Center
OHRC faculty
About the OHRC
Robert L. Folmer, Ph.D.
Robert Folmer
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Approximately 40 million Americans have chronic tinnitus. For 10 million of these people, tinnitus can be a severely debilitating condition. Many patients with severe tinnitus experience a vicious cycle of symptoms that exacerbate one another. Identifying and treating insomnia, anxiety and depression with medications and/or psychotherapy/counseling will reduce tinnitus severity for most patients. In order to develop increasingly effective treatment programs, we continue to study the relationships between tinnitus and psychosocial factors that contribute to its perceived severity.
Most cases of chronic tinnitus are associated with some degree of hearing loss.
One type of hearing loss that is preventable is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
One way to encourage people to protect their ears from excessive noise exposure is
to educate them about hearing, hearing loss and hearing conservation. The Oregon
Hearing Research Center in collaboration with the Multnomah Education Service District,
the National Hearing Conservation Association, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry,
the American Tinnitus Association, the Veterans Administration National Center for
Rehabilitative Auditory Research, and Oregon Health Sciences University, is developing
hearing conservation curricula for children. Our goal is to bring hearing conservation
education to every K-12 student in the state of Oregon on a continuing basis.
We hope that this program will ultimately reduce the prevalence of noise-induced
hearing loss among children and adults.
Folmer RL, Martin WH, Shi Y. Tinnitus: Questions to reveal the cause, answers to provide relief. Journal of Family Practice 2004;53(7):532-540.
Folmer RL, Shi YB SSRI Use by Tinnitus Patients: Interactions Between Depression and Tinnitus Severity ENT Journal 2004;83(2):107-117.
Mraz NR, Folmer RL Overprotection-hyperacusis-phonophobia & Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: A Case Study Healthy Hearing, December 8, 2003.
Folmer RL. The importance of hearing conservation instruction. J of School Nursing 2003;19(3):140-148.
Folmer RL, Griest SE. Chronic tinnitus resulting from head or neck injuries. Laryngoscope 2003;113:821-827.
Folmer RL. Long-term reductions in tinnitus severity. BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders 2002;2:3.
Folmer RL. Why aren't hearing conservation practices taught in schools? Healthy Hearing, April 29, 2002.
Folmer RL. Why do our ears ring? Discover 2002;23(4):12.
Folmer RL, Griest SE, Martin WH. Hearing conservation education programs for children: a review. J of School Health 2002;72(2):51-57.
Folmer RL.
A Patient's Guide to Tinnitus. Healthy Hearing January 14, 2002.
Folmer RL.
Reply to: Paroxetine in the treatment of tinnitus.
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 2001;125(4):437-438.
Folmer R.L., Griest S.E., Martin W.H. Chronic tinnitus as phantom auditory pain. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 2001;124(4):394-400.
Folmer RL, Griest SE. Tinnitus and insomnia. Am J of Otolaryngology 2000;21(5):287-293.
Folmer R.L., Shi B.Y., Edlefsen L.L. Chronic tinnitus following electroconvulsive therapy. In Hazell J (ed): Proceedings of the Sixth International Tinnitus Seminar. London: The Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Centre, 1999, 243-245.
Folmer R.L., Griest S.E., Meikle M.B., Martin W.H. Tinnitus severity, loudness and depression. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 121:48-51, 1999.
Folmer R.L., Griest S.E. Improvements in tinnitus severity: a follow-up study. In Hazell J (ed): Proceedings of the Sixth International Tinnitus Seminar. London: The Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Centre, 1999, 546-549.
Folmer R.L., Yingling C.D. Auditory P3 Responses to Name Stimuli. Brain and Language, 56:306-311, 1997.