TINNITUS
A ringing noise in the ear
New Technical Developments in the Treatment of Tinnitus
According to an epidemiological study, tinnitus or ear noises
without an outer acoustic source, torments over 41 million people
in Europe. Each year, over 1,5 million people are newly affected.
More than 60 % of those hear a noise which is more than 6 kilohertz.
There are approximately 150 different syndromes which can cause
this condition. Although this affliction has been known since
antiquity, the medical community has been helpless in confronting
the symptoms of those who chronically suffer from the condition
until now. If tinnitus occurs acutely and remains untreated, or
fails to respond to therapy, then the condition can become chronic.
For those people thus affected, this can become very burdensome.
For many of them it can result in unbearable pain. Among problems,
they may experience difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Since a cure for chronic tinnitus does not exist in principle,
patients are taught techniques to "block out the inner noise
they hear" and do instead focus on sounds "outside the
ear".
In the standard therapy, a tinnitus masker is used to produce
a “white noise”. However, there are several disadvantages
to this type of technique:
To mask the noise, devices must be placed in the ear or behind
the ear. The use of this method is feasible only for daytime use,
as the presence of the device disturbs sleep at night. The current
noise masking devices are effective for frequencies up to 6,5
kilohertz. However, most tinnitus patients suffer with frequencies
which are much higher than this.
Most noise maskers produce a uniform noise which many patients
describe as not or little individual, which makes them less likely
to accept it. Most of the maskers are very cost intensive
A new treatment method which has proven successful since 1997
now offers hope for sufferers. It was developed and implemented
by specialists at the Tinnitus Therapy Center in Osnabrück,
Germany, working with frequency specialists and acoustics specialists,
along with the company BBS.
The basic idea comes from an Anglo-American study which was modified
in Osnabrück.
It assumes that tinnitus in principle cannot be treated directly
because its causes are not currently know. Therefore, to eliminate
these disruptive noises from the conscious center of the brain,
the brain must be trained to stop recognizing the disturbing noises.
This is the goal of the TRT or Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (studies
are with us). As part of their research project, they developed
software which utilizes new and effective individual anti-noises,
using the highest sound quality. One result is that these anti-noises
now reach tinnitus frequencies as high as 18 kilohertz. These
anti-noises or retraining noises (“Petino”-Soundsystem)
are projected using two mini-loudspeakers which are placed in
a neck pillow. During sleep, the noises are carried over the bone
conduction to the ear of the patient by a CD player (mp3 format).
As a result, a highly efficient learning effect occurs. This
method is also extremely economical (Pharmaceutical central number
0696243, article 2525).
To increase the acceptance level of this therapy to as high
as possible (the success of the therapy being dependent on the
acceptance by the individual patient), four different variants
have been utilized(Tropical Rain, Pacific, Niagra Falls, Falling
Water), with three different frequencies (< 6 kHz, <
12 kHz, <18 kHz).
The anti-noises start with a 37-minute period of relaxation
music. After this relaxation period, the anti-noises are passed
on to the ear of the person over an 8 hour period of sleep.
Therapy successes:
By the "Stimulus" in form of a digital deep noise the
tormenting Tinnitus reduces slowly in the perception . The ear
is sensitized to noises of the outside again. The persons concerned
are relaxing and learning to sleep again on the one hand and on
the other hand they forget their Tinnitus during the sleep.
Of course we cannot answering the question about the therapy
in advance. So it can be that already after a short time a change
of your perception of the Tinnitus happen. With other people
on the other hand it can last duration longer (up to several
months) till a change gets perceptible.
You mustn't therefore disheartened if you don't immediately
feel a success. The Tinnitus also has needed more time, too,
to manifest itself. Therefore bear the treatment noise further,
accustom and exercise your brain.
We are pretty sure that with you also a success gets perceptible.
To achieve the ideal case, the anti-noise shall be used in connection
with other therapy measures (medical Diagnostics/psychological
Diagnostics and body therapy and movement therapy).
Choose your individual relaxation- and therapy- CD out of our
CD-library:
- - relaxation + Tropic Rain <6
kHz, <12 kHz o r <18
kHz
- - relaxation + Pacific
<6 kHz, <12 kHz o r
<18 kHz
- - relaxation + Niagra
<6 kHz, <12 kHz o r
<18 kHz
- - relaxation + Falling Water <6 kHz,
<12 kHz o r <18 kHz
Invented and manufactured by
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Thomsen GmbH
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D-79423 Heitersheim |
Telefon: +49 7634 / 521-0
Telefax: +49 7634 / 521-299
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