Ultrasound Treatment for Tinnitus
Whether it is an intermittent noise or a continual ringing sound, tinnitus can be a frustrating condition to experience and treatment options have been limited. Research on tinnitus indicates that the use of ultrasound is promising but yields mixed results, according to an overview of the literature on tinnitus.org.
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Origin of ultrasound treatment for tinnitus
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Ultrasound, or high frequency sound waves, have been used to diagnose nasal and sinus conditions, and some patients experienced an improvement in ringing in the ears following the procedure. Thus, audiologists attempted to directly treat tinnitus via the administration of ultrasound.
Initial study
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An initial 1986 study involving 40 patients suffering from tinnitus found that 40 percent of the patients did experience an improvement in their symptoms following treatment with high-frequency sound waves.
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Follow up study
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Subesequent studies were not able to replicate the successful results of the initial 1986 study. A study entitled "Low Powered Ultrasound in the Inhibition of Tinnitus" was published in 1987, and it similarly used 40 subjects. The results found a statistically insignificant outcome.
UltraQuiet
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A product known as UltraQuiet is a more recent attempt at using ultrasound to treat ear ringing. This product makes use of high-frequency sound waves in the form of music which is still within human hearing range.
HiSonic
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Another device on the market is called HiSonic. HiSonic makes use of a mixture of both high and low frequency sound waves in an attempt to reduce tinnitus. Like UltraQuiet, it uses sound waves which are within hearing frequency.
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