Portable acoustic device can relieve tinnitus

A portable, non-invasive acoustic device now available in the UK can provide sustainable long-term relief from the symptoms of tinnitus.

UK patients whose symptoms have been relieved by the Acoustic CR Neuromodulation device from ANM include a retired labourer who had suffered from tinnitus for 20 years.

Available exclusively in the UK from Harley Street centre The Tinnitus Clinic, the therapy targets the auditory centre of the brain to inactivate the hyperactive nerve cells causing the symptoms.

Long-term tinnitus sufferer Peter Humphries experienced symptom relief within 10 days after receiving treatment with Acoustic CR Neuromodulation.

He commented: “I’m amazed to find that the treatment is working. I first noticed a change after about 10 days. Since then, there’s been a noticeable change every couple of days as my tinnitus starts to disappear.”

Acoustic CR Neuromodulation was developed in Germany and is sold by Adaptive Neuromodulation (ANM) in Cologne.

The Tinnitus Clinic, part of the Brook Henderson Group of independent healthcare providers, has signed an exclusive UK distribution agreement with ANM for this technology.

According to current neurological theory, tinnitus is caused by acoustic nerve cells misfiring together. Acoustic CR Neuromodulation disrupts these pathological signals by transmitting a patient-specific set of tones to the patient’s auditory cortex.

The portable device combines a matchbox-sized acoustic transmitter with small medical earphones. Patients wear the device for 4–6 hours per day while engaged in normal activities. Over 6–12 months the acoustic signal is fine-tuned in line with the changing symptoms.

In clinical trials, Acoustic CR Neuromodulation reduced tinnitus symptoms in 7 out of 10 patients over 9 months.