Jefferson First Hospital in City to Offer New, Non-Invasive Tinnitus Treatment
The Jefferson Balance and Hearing Center of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
is the first hospital in Philadelphia to offer the FDA-cleared
Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment. This therapy is proven to interact,
interrupt and desensitize tinnitus by delivering a customized neural
stimulus, embedded in clinically modified music.
“Tinnitus
is an awful, debilitating condition that can have a devastating impact
on a patient’s quality of life,” said Thomas Willcox, M.D., medical
director. “This new treatment represents a significant step forward
for a condition with traditionally limited therapeutic options. By
targeting underlying neurological and psychological causes, it has been
proven to offer long-lasting benefit.”
Tinnitus
is the perception of sound in the ears or head when no external source
is present. Often described as "ringing in the ears," it affects as
many as 50 million people in the United States. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention report that one million new cases of
tinnitus are identified each year, 200,000 of which are severe.
Tinnitus symptoms can negatively impact normal daily activities and can
lead to additional medical conditions, such as anxiety, depression,
sleep deprivation and elevated stress.
Tinnitus
is not simply an auditory problem, but also has a neurological and
psychological basis. While most tinnitus cases are preceded by hearing
loss, neurological factors often contribute to the deterioration in
symptoms. First, the brain attempts to compensate for the hearing loss
by “turning up” sounds internally. Ultimately a psychological
component emerges, when the sufferer develops a “fight-or-flight”
stress response to the debilitating sounds. The patient then focuses
more attention on the tinnitus, perceiving it as louder and louder.
Tinnitus takes increasingly significant control over their life. Thus
begins a vicious cycle involving neurological, psychological and
auditory factors.
Neuromonics’
non-invasive, FDA-cleared device is customized to the patient's unique
hearing and tinnitus profile. It delivers a customized neural stimulus
that promotes neural plastic changes, allowing the brain to filter out
thedisturbing tinnitus sound. This stimulus is delivered within
spectrally modified, customized music, which engages the brain's
emotional response center, the limbic system, and thereby reduces
tinnitus-related disturbance.
The
therapy is delivered via a compact, lightweight and uniquely designed
medical device. Treatment typically occurs over an approximately
six-month period, with daily use recommended for two or more hours per
day, especially when the tinnitus is most disturbing. The treatment can
take place during regular activities such as reading, relaxing or
computer work. It involves a multi-stage process designed for optimal
clinical results.
Media Only Contact:
Ed Federico
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 9/18/2009