A newly published study in the American Journal of Audiology highlights the struggles that U.S. veterans face when suffering from tinnitus and the need for mental health support to accompany audiological treatment.
The study interviewed 40 veterans with tinnitus in an effort to obtain their perspectives on what it is like to live with the condition, which is defined as a ringing or buzzing in the ears. What the researchers found was that bothersome tinnitus negatively impacted various aspects of daily functioning, including communication, sleep, concentration, and mood, suggesting a need for audiologists to work closely with mental health services to improve quality of life and functional status for those negatively impacted by the condition.
While rehabilitative services are available through VA audiologists, this study suggests that referral to and use of services that could improve quality of life is low.
The most common service-related disability reported by veterans is hearing problems – specifically, tinnitus and hearing loss. Exposure to loud noises such as gunshots, explosions and heavy machinery often leads to damage in the inner ear that causes and exacerbates tinnitus. It is estimated that 30% of military veterans suffer from tinnitus, a prevalence rate which is twice that of the non-veteran population.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but Neosensory Duo is scientifically proven to help reduce the intensity of ringing in the ears, especially for those with moderate to severe tinnitus. The novel device uses bimodal stimulation (two forms of stimulus) to teach the brain to ignore the phantom noise caused by tinnitus in a process that has shown promise in a study published in The International Tinnitus Journal.
Neosensory works by pairing audio tones played from our mobile app with matching vibratory patterns that a user feels on their wrist via our revolutionary wristband. Four motors on the underside of the band emit patterns that correspond with different tones, ultimately showing the brain that the specific tone of the wearer’s tinnitus is not a real sound and should be ignored.
The whole process takes as little as 10 minutes of training each day for eight weeks and can be done in the comfort of the user’s home.
Visit Neosensory.com to learn how you can take advantage of our trial period to see how Duo can help you or someone you know who is suffering from tinnitus.