The AudioNotch Tinnitus Treatment Blog

Here on AudioNotch, I’ve blogged in the past about how meditation can help you with your tinnitus. I just wanted to point out two resources that can help you meditate.

• The first one is the “Stop Breathe & Think” app which is available on iOS devices. This application is free, and will walk you through a guided meditation process. It’s got a really nice user interface.
• The second link is a free on-line meditation timer that you can use at your computer. I’ve had a good experience with this one and … Continue Reading
  

Check out the $100 tinnitus masking sound generator available here:
The Tinnitus Masking Sound Generator will make use of similar masking therapy which has been recommended by otolaryngologists and the American Tinnitus Association. The dozen tracks will incorporate specific white-noise frequencies (1,000-10,000 Hz) so that tinnitus sufferers can pick from the specific sound which offers the most effective level of relief. Such digital recordings can be played non-stop or at 30-, 60-, or 90-minutes intervals. Not only that, there will also be another 12-track card of pleasant nature and relaxation sounds including ocean surf and wind … Continue Reading

Obviously, it’s not a cure, but a new article in CNN referencing a new variant of CBT for tinnitus has shown efficacy in reducing subjective distress caused by tinnitus:
The study, conducted in the Netherlands, involved 492 patients. Half received an audiological work-up and no other structured treatment, while the other half received integrated care, including tinnitus-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

The therapy included having patients perform mundane, everyday tasks, while being exposed to whatever sound is associated with their tinnitus.

“People usually avoid their own sound,” said Cima.  “So they practice paying attention to their sound and what reactions they’re having … Continue Reading

Incredible research from Johns Hopkins supports our anecdotal observations that being blind can improve your other senses:
Music experts often say that blind performers like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder are good examples of how not being able to see can enhance one’s ability to hear. Now, a new neuroscience study appears to support this – it found preventing sight for as little as a week may be enough to help the brain process sound more effectively.

Read the article – the brain is just amazing!

The mood disorders that can result after the onset of tinnitus are devastating for many people. I believe that some people are more predisposed than others to developing a crippling depression after the onset of tinnitus. There are likely a set of vulnerabilities in certain peoples’ brains that make them more vulnerable to experiencing psychological distress after the onset of tinnitus. Tinnitus is a challenge because it’s “always there,” and a cursory review of material on-line shows how easily some people can be pushed into psychological devastation. Consider the following anecdote:
TORMENTED by a constant piercing ringing in her ears, a … Continue Reading

Dealing with children who have developed tinnitus is a challenge. There’s just not that much data out there in the scientific literature about how to help them. An eleven year old boy in the UK had particularly difficulty with insomnia:
An 11-year-old with severe tinnitus is finally able to get a good night’s sleep after discovering listening to birds relieves his symptoms.

Leo Bamford has suffered from the condition – which leaves him with a constant high-pitched ringing in his ears – since he was a toddler. 

Every night the noise kept him awake for hours and left him tired … Continue Reading

One thing that we’ve noticed at AudioNotch is that we get a lot of interest in our tuner. Some people have used the tuner to generate a tone to be used for tuning instruments like guitars. We wanted to share another great site that we’ve discovered which can do the same: FreeTuner.co is a simple web application that can figure out what note is being played based on a sound! We only wish that it was that easy to find your tinnitus frequency!

Cheers,

Adrian
CTO at AudioNotch

At AudioNotch, we like to emphasize that we’re based on scientific research. The majority of treatments marketed on-line for tinnitus are not actually scientifically supported, so it’s important for us to differentiate ourselves from treatments that have no scientific basis.

That said, “based on science” isn’t the same this as “100% proven.” The studies done on Notched Sound Therapy have been evaluated in promising terms, but they had limitations. That’s why larger studies are needed. The good news is that one such larger study (a randomized controlled trial) is now underway. It has been initiated by the discoverers of Notched Music Therapy:
A … Continue Reading

AudioNotch has been featured on the Medulous blog!
 Luckily, new online services coupled with the proliferation of mp3 technology, treatment is right around the corner for many people.

Therapy for tinnitus has been made increasingly available over the last decade and has typically involved strategizing how to minimize the side effects. Masking with static or white noise or even ‘waterfall’ / ‘cricket’ sounds has been shown to provide temporary relief. Audiologists are also available to help walk people through the problems and some can even offer mp3 players with special music on it. All of which can come at a … Continue Reading

An interesting study in 2013 points towards some of the underlying psychological vulnerabilities that may predispose people towards developing depression secondary to tinnitus:
Conclusion: Optimism influences depression in tinnitus patients both directly and indirectly. The indirect effect indicates that optimism is associated with more positive tinnitus-specific illness representations which, in turn, are related to less depression. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between generalised expectancies, illness-specific perceptions and psychological adjustment to medical conditions.
I’ve posted the abstract below in its entirety:
Objective: Both dispositional optimism and illness representations are related to psychological health in chronic patients. In a … Continue Reading