Neuromonics - Tinnitus

TheFlyingTurkey

Fetus Worshiper
Hey Doc.
I recently had my tinnitus get a little louder, probably due to stress, but it originated from an ear drum puncture when I was a teen. I became used to the noise and it never really bothered me, but it was there 24/7. Well with this latest bout it is really bothering me and I started doing some research and came across this: http://www.neuromonics.com

I was wondering if you have heard of this or have any advice for chronic tinnitus?
 
I would visit the ENT doc. I looked at the abstract of the study the website provides and it does not appear to be well designed. The general rule of thumb in these kinds of things is to perform a double blinded crossover study - then have it repeated by someone else. The study was blinded but there was no crossover and they provided no confirmatory sturdies. I would be somewhat skeptical.

The theory is similar to that used in noise canceling headsets.
 
Turk, I am sorry to hear of your affliction. I can't imagine how you learned to live with it. The few times in my life I experienced it (after concerts, shooting, etc) I thought it would drive me insane if it lasted more than a day. :(
 
I am on the Board of a thing in Kansas City called the Midwest Ear Institute. We are a non-profit devoted to hearing health here in our region and are affiliated with St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. We are primarily known for our Cochlear Implant program. We actually did a study on this device and just completed it. We have had good success with it. None of our candidates bought the device, and the company did not give us the machines - we paid for them and the study with a $25,000 grant. I say this to lend some credibility - we were not paid for this.

We had success with people that had severe tinitus - we are talking about people that were so bad it was disabling and leading to depression, etc. These people have gotten significant relief from the program and are doing well. One of the caveats is that you don't want to jump in too early (before the tinitus is really bad), because that can diminish the response.

Dr. Foreed - would you like for me to give you the Aud. that worked on this study so that you can ask her about her findings? This may be applicable to you as many of your patients will suffer this probably. KC is an old "Company town" - TWA - and many of the former pilots and mechanics are here from when TWA was headquartered here. This is one of the reasons we wanted to investigate the device.

That said - everything the good Dr. said about studies and how they should be carried out is true. We (MEI) just wanted to run our own study because of the lack of other evidence.

Thanks.
 
I used to be on the faculty of the University of Missouri and on the staff at St. Luke's. I will do an OVID search on the device and review all of the literature.
 
I used to be on the faculty of the University of Missouri and on the staff at St. Luke's. I will do an OVID search on the device and review all of the literature.

Good Man! We are a Tiger household amongst a nest of Jayhawks.

You may know the Dr. that started MEI - Charles Luetje. Close friend and he did both of my Cochlear Implants. I also sit on the Board of the St. Luke's Brain and Stroke Institute - that is Dr. Marilyn Rymer, you may know her as well. Great that you are a St. Luke's alum. I will get the report that Heidi drew up (she is an AuD with us and used to be with the House Institute in LA) and forward it.
 
Turk, I am sorry to hear of your affliction. I can't imagine how you learned to live with it. The few times in my life I experienced it (after concerts, shooting, etc) I thought it would drive me insane if it lasted more than a day. :(

When you've had it your entire life and don't know what silence sounds like, it's easier to live with. But just recently it's gotten a little louder, keeping me up at night and really dragging me down. On top of that, I'm out of town with my wife seeing a fertility specialist. So this time is supposed to be about getting my wife pregnant, not worrying about me.

I went to an ENT doctor out here and had a hearing test done. Everything is normal and there is no infection. So it must be stress related. Problem is, the noise gives me more stress and then I obsess about it.
 
I did a little more research on Neuromonics. I found A few legitimate places where nueromonics is being used/researched. One is the University of California San Francisco, Medical Center http://www.ucsfhealth.org/adult/medical_services/audio/tinnitus/faq.html

Another is in my home town at Nova Southeastern University http://www.nova.edu/cah/faculty.html Which as it just so happens, the inventor of the neuromonics device, Paul Davis PhD, is an Associate Professor.

And the Cleveland Clinic: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/head_neck/research/projects/audiology.aspx

Looks like I'll be visiting Nova Southeastern University when I get home from Denver. Even a 25% decrease in the sound level will be a success for me.
 
Back
Top