Neuronomonics is a form of treatment for tinnitus, the medical condition in which there is a constant ringing sound in the ears. While this new form of treatment does not technically cure tinnitus, it does decrease the associated symptoms and interference that a person who suffers from chronic tinnitus experiences in everyday life.
The Basics
While this acoustic-based treatment has become a quite popular and accepted form of tinnitus treatment in New Zealand and Australia where it was developed, it has not become as widely known about in the United States. Neuronomonics is a two-part treatment involving the use of a medical device called a neuronomonics processor, along with consultations with an audiologist. The neuronomonics processor is similar to an MP3 player that plays special music and neural sounds transmitted through headphones that are inserted into the ear.
How It Works
After the headphones are put on, the neuronomonics processor transmits special music that works to retrain the neural pathways. With continual use, this results in new connections being created in the brain, which leads to tinnitus disturbance that is much less noticeable and in some cases not noticeable at all.
How Long It Takes
Treatment with neuronomonics is broken into two phases. In each phase the patient wears the neuronomonics processor for two to three hours. The first phase lasts about two months and is meant to reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. The second phase lasts about four months and is the time when the neural pathways are being reconfigured. The amount of time the earphones are in can be gradually decreased during the last couple months of therapy.
What to Expect
At the first consultation the audiologist assesses the patient's current hearing ability and severity of tinnitus. If the audiologist determines that neuronomonics could help, the patient receives a neuronomonics processor. During treatment the acoustic pattern delivered through the device is monitored and adjusted as the tinnitus decreases. The patient also receives follow-up phone calls from the audiologist to ensure that the process is working.
Additional Considerations
This method is practical for a lot of people because the special music emitted by the device is quiet enough for the person to participate in conversations or engage in other daily activities. It can also be worn as the person goes to sleep. According to a 2007 clinical trial of neuronomonics indexed in Medline, the treatment provides rapid and profound improvements in the severity of tinnitus symptoms and their effect on the subject's quality of life.
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