Tinnitus may not be a severe problem as some other intense health condition, but it doesn't mean that it does not have a drastic impact on the lives of the affected. Sufferers hear a variety of noises ranging from ringing to swishing, and it originates from the ear or head. A newly created device similar to an iPod promises to relieve the patients of their affliction, say scientists.
The device works by playing a series of tones sounds tuned to the frequency of noises generated by tinnitus, inducing calm in the excessively active nerve cells within the hearing area of the brain. Long-term problems associated with the condition include sleep deprivation and inability to concentrate.
Professor Peter Tass, the chief German inventor, published evidence of the benefits of his Coordinated Reset (CR) device in the Restorative Neurology & Neuroscience journal. He supervised the trial wherein he detailed the condition's progress of 63 tinnitus sufferers, who wore the portable device for 12 weeks. The patients who used the device for up to six hours a day said they achieved better results. CR device did nothing to interfere with normal outside sounds so the patient could enjoy everyday routines. Treatment lasted for nine months. The positive effects continued for four weeks even after the patient ceased using the device and also during the follow-up treatment that lasted for ten months when it was depended on solely for maintenance therapy.
Professor Tass was optimistic about the results of his 'exploratory' study whose objective was to validate the effectiveness of the treatment in reducing the tinnitus symptoms. Researchers also explored the changes in the main affected areas of the brain and discovered confirmatory pattern changes that linked to improvements when patients used the device. The CR device is useful for patients with chronic tonal tinnitus, majority which is ringing in the ear s.
Required is a randomized-controlled trial by an independent research group that successfully evaluates the viability of this new invention. The phase two of the trial is scheduled for a later date.
Via: DailyMail
