SoundCure Serenade Tinnitus Treatment System

I just started the Soundcure therapy. You are supposed to use Tracks 1 and/or 2, they use the S-Tones that have been demonstrated to reduce or eliminate tinnitus in some patients (4 out of 5 during clinical trials). The other tracks are only masking sounds, which I don't care for - too boring. My initial response was a slight worsening of the tinnitus, this is actually supposed to be a good thing, as I am responding to the S-tones. I plan to really stick to it, and I am somewhat hopeful though sceptical.

 

That is absolutely correct. I am able to access the Audio notch sound therapy system and match my tinnitus tone exactly off of my i pad. Not 100 percent convinced it's doing me any good though. May be increasing the T. Need advice.

 

If it's matched correctly it may create residual inhibition where your T disappears for a short period usually seconds. It can be a double edged sword.

 

Start my therapy today with the Soundcure system (9-8-2014) will try to keep a log report on how this unit works and if works for me So far the only thing that I have truly found that works for fighting our terrible problem is just to keep busy and xanax!! I do have a set of Widex Zen hearing aids and they do tend to help when the noise is a bit much in the morning. Oh and I tried something new this morning and it seems to help the anxiety and that is to get up and do a half a mile walk on my treadmill with my hearing aids under a set of noise protection ear muffs. I do forget about the Zen sounds and have been using them for about four weeks- 8 hours or more a day! Jon

 

Well no immediate relief but I I think I notice that my anxiety when waking up is a little better. I'm wearing them whenever I'm not in need of hearing anything. I tried to wear them at night but they cannot be affixed to the ear canal so I just put them in around four or five in the morning and go back to sleep. I made up a headband to keep the ear mics in place and it helps somewhat. I wish they had a set of hearing buds that were attached to something that you could wear on your head but they did not. Right now I'm sitting here with my sound cure device set on the number one setting and at the second level of sound. In the informational package it states that you do not want to drown out tinnitus and concentrate on the buzzing noise. So here I sit with a bee in my ears and just trying to put the ringing noise in another department of my brain. Yep thats what it kind of sounds like to me but a lower tone bee. Anyway If anything like I said I wish they had made something better to attach the ears buds but they mist that one. I have been on this program for about two weeks and its going to be alone six months. Oh yes as soon as I take out the Sound cure device I put on my zen hearing aids and play the gongs noises that seems to work ok for me. I only hope that I'm not masking the ringing noise too much with the sound cure system but that is a judgemental call from me. Anyone else out there have this system now? Would like to chat with them about there striving ahead and using this system.

 

@cowdodge Please keep us informed on your progress. That product has been studied and is supposed to help two-thirds of the people who use it. (One third it helps a lot; one third it helps somewhat.)

I have heard--in the past--that the device may take a while to work so I'd stick with it at least three months.

I'm thinking that @Jack S. benefitted from the device and that's why he never did a follow up post. Many people quit posting as soon as they get relief. I understand why they do this--they want to forget about their noise, who doesn't?--but still not posting does not help people who are still suffering and looking for answers. So, good or bad, continue to post.

And I've found it's useful not to monitor your tinnitus too much. Just check on it two or three times a day. Hypermonitoring will make the noise more prominent. But I'm sure you know this.

Anyway, I'm glad the Widex Zen has helped too.

 

@Jack S. If you come back, please tell us about your experience with SoundCure? I hope you're doing great!

 

I noticed a spike in my ringing but not all that bad. I know that we all kind of get ust to the noise and that is the part of our old brain that sends oft a flight or flight alarm. Just getting this at bay for me would just be dandy!

 

Yes, I believe all sound therapy typically gives people a temporary spike. If the spike lasts for more than a few days or if you're worried at all about it, talk with your audiologist and ask for advice.

I would not use the device if the spike lasted more than a week. But I do recall when I first got hearings aids that included a white noise element (which was the whole reason for the hearing aids since my hearing loss is very minor and only in the high frequencies) my tinnitus got loud for several days and then it settle down and eventually got somewhat better before it plateaued. I did use the white noise feature for a year to get the full effect, which was probably a 30% reduction in my noise. I now no longer use white noise or hearing aids.

 

I have been using the Sound Cure system for about three weeks now and I do not notice any difference. I have an idea of why I have not received a noticeable difference is that when I was tested for for wear my tinnitus sound between my audiologist and me I might have flunked the test. By this I mean as we all know its pretty hard to match a noise in your head to a person who cannot hear it. So I went to the Notch therapy site and sat down and did the test by myself and I believe that we might have set the Sound Cure device at the wrong HZ level. If I'm right no matter how long that I wear the Sound Cure device than it will never work like its suppose too. Here is what I get from the Notch site 2080 to 2112 HZ and thats about as close as I can get the reading by myself and not under any pressure. I do not have the reading that my audiologist took but I do have some from a client that I went to 15 years ago and that paperwork states my tinnitus level was around 6000 HZ big difference!!!!!! Next week I have an appointment with audioligist and we shall see what she says.
Here is the audion notch site http://www.audionotch.com/how-it-works

 

I did use the white noise feature for a year to get the full effect, which was probably a 30% reduction in my noise. I now no longer use white noise or hearing aids.

Hi @jazz: I know this is a bit off topic, and I will post elsewhere if you like. Did you feel the hearing aids/white noise permanently dropped your volume some permanently? I also have moderate to very little hearing loss (all of it very high frequency, so I don't notice it) and initially was offered hearing aids with white noise. My Neuromonics program is up in a couple months and am trying to decide if I should try something else or just give it a rest for awhile. Neuromonics helped but was not all that I had hoped.

Thanks.

 

I have a terrible time matching my noise. When I'm loud, I'll go to sites like AudioNotch and try to match it, but the numbers are never consistent. Sometimes I'll get around 5500-6000 Hz and I'll say, that's it. Other times, I've matched it at 8000 or 9000 Hz. Now, I do have two sounds--a tone and a noise. I've never tried to match the tone because it's not that loud and the TV and other ambient noises cover it easily. But my high picture "noise" tinnitus--which sounds like some type of whistle--always frustrates me and appears to be unmatchable!

I believe noise tinnitus is comprised of several sounds--hence the term "noise" rather than "tonal" tinnitus. What type(s) of tinnitus do you have? A single sound or a multi-sound (buzz, whistle, etc.)?

That said, some people with noise tinnitus claim they can match their sounds. And I do know that pitch matching is a talent that not all people possess. As a teenager I played guitar, and I always had to "cheat" (use an external device) in order to tune it. Some people could tune by ear, but I never could.

Long story short, not matching your tone might be why you're not responding. You might want to try Audinotch several times and see if you come up with a consistent range. You don't have to get it exactly, but you should be close. It might also help if you go up 500 Hz then down 500 Hz and see which is closer (e.g., 5000 then 4500 then 5000 then 4500.) That's what the audiologists do.

And don't spend too long matching. If you listen to those sounds for a long period, your brain will become confused and your noise might temporarily shift. This is what I've read.

Good luck and be sure to use ear phones with no ambient noise when you're trying to match!

 

Let's see. Do you have tonal or hissing or both types of tinnitus? I believe you should match your masking or habituation device to the type of tinnitus your have--or to your dominant type of tinnitus. This opinion is based on what I've read about how sound therapy may calm overactive neurons. To calm them, you need to introduce a noise that is close to the sounds you've lost or have been reduced.

That said, my hearing loss is also very minor and only in the high frequencies. But I do have the tinnitus dip in my audiogram. I chose hearing aids over Neuromonics because I felt the hearing aids would also help my auditory cortex adjust to diminished input from my hearing loss. I now believe that never happened. My hearing loss was just too insignificant (10 to 20 dB across 5000 to 8000 Hz).

But the hearing aids were still useful in reducing my irritation towards my noise; and they also lowered the volume. I'm not sure how much they lowered it, but perhaps thirty percent is fair. The hearing aids' greatest achievement was reducing my emotional reaction to my tinnitus and therefore helping with my mood and concentration.

After a year-and-a- half, however, my progress plateaued. And so for the last two months, I've been using nothing, not even background noises, except when I sleep. I just think it's time for my brain to get used to my noise. I have no idea if this will further my progress, but I'll try it for several months before deciding.

Long story short, yes, the hearing aids helped. But they did not do as much as I had hoped. If you decide to try the hearing aids, I do recommend the Starkey Xino if you have noise tinnitus. Instead of giving you generic white noise--which I always found irritating--you can select a sound that closely matches your noise from a large number of sounds. I selected three sounds--from soft to somewhat shrill--and could adjust the volume on each of them. You will not get this type of customization from other hearing aid companies. Such customization--to my mind--is critical to achieving any type of success. Any generic noise will not work, IMHO.

http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/technologies/xino-tinnitus

 

Thank you, @jazz, this is very helpful, as always. I guess I would say I have a mix between tonal and hissing... it kind of hisses but seems to have a tone to it, a very high one. My pitch is around 14,000-16,000 hz. I originally thought I had little hearing loss but I do have about 50 db in one ear, about 20-30 db in the other.

One thing I have noticed about Neuromonics is it has calmed my reaction. But don't know how much it really has done for loudness. I developed tinnitus about a year later than you. And like you, I am trying to decide if I now should just try to get used to it without any devices, keep using the Neuromonics without counseling or try something like hearing aids. Thanks for recommending the Starkey. I definitely agree; one sound does not fit all when it comes to sound therapy. That's why I like my TM Soft iphone app. It has dozens of sounds, plus you can make your own mixes. White noise alone would not do it for me.

Appreciate all you do for people here at TT.

 

@LadyDi Thank you! And your posts are always informative and a pleasure to read!

I thought about your post and wanted to offer additional observations, which I placed in the Hearing Aid thread:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hearing-aids.676/page-12​

 

Interesting as today I have an appoitment with my audioligist and I'm going to see if she can change the range for my Soundcure device and see if she can set it at between 2082 HZ and 2112 HZ. I stated here before I used the Notch program to get this range but I do not know what my audioligist set the Soundcure device as we set it while in her office and I think the control conditions are alot better when one is at home and not in an office. I know this range I came up is low but I tried it a higher level and the range was just going away from what I could match. Jon

 

I contacted the representive for the Soundcure product about matching the pitch and here is the reply:
Hi John,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your questions. At SoundCure, it is very important to us that each patient receives the best care that they can. Would you mind passing along the name of your audiologist? It would be very helpful for us to be able to speak with her to ensure that the questions that you have are addressed appropriately when you see her for your follow-up visit. It is always best that you discuss your questions with your providing audiologist since they have the best knowledge of your medical history and your history with tinnitus.
You should not be too concerned about the pitch of the device sounding different than the pitch coming from a website on your computer. These sounds are not the same sound and it is not unusual for your tinnitus pitch to seem different at different times, under different circumstances. It is not necessary to reprogram the device if you feel like it does not match the pitch you heard through your computer. Also, it is unlikely that the device is causing your tinnitus to spike. To avoid noticing your tinnitus more as you end a session, gradually turn the volume down over a few minutes. Also, don’t end a session in a quiet environment as this may make your tinnitus seem comparatively loud. We hope that the S-tone is having an interaction with your tinnitus when the Serenade is playing – that your tinnitus is softer, less bothersome or not noticeable at all. We recommend that you revisit the information that is included in the “Habituation Guide” (the blue brochure with a photo of a dandelion on it). We would be happy to consult with your audiologist on your behalf.
Thanks,
SoundCure Customer Service

 

Would like to start a count of how many people here have started or completed with sucess or not of the Sound Cure system. Any takers?

 

Well I got my soundcure device reprogramed today and now we shall see if it really does all it suppose to do. I tried it out this afternoon and it still generates alot of tennitus noise. Hope this will go away

 

Did you contact SoundCure with the name of your audiologist?

I'm not so sure about this. Any type of new noise might cause your tinnitus to act up. But it should only be temporary and should recede as your head (ears) become accustomed to the noise.

That sounds like good advice. You don't want to end the session abruptly or in a silent room. I'd definitely spend about 15 minutes stopping the session, and I'd be in a room with some type of relaxing background noise.

I'm glad you got the device reprogrammed.

How long before you are supposed to see results? From what I've read about sound therapy in general, you need to use it for several months before it will help you, perhaps even up to a year. The brain takes a long time to un-wire itself. But it is possible. Perhaps, you might also try something like CBT (even if you do it yourself) to also help with your progress. Some researchers believe that combining therapies are very useful for all people with chronic tinnitus.

 

I feel sort of dumb but what do you mean CBT? My reaction with the Soundcure system is that I start at the lowest setting and set it there for a few minutes and then gradually go up to the next graduation. I'm a little concern that it does raise my tinnitus and hope this is temporary. My audiolgist wants me to play this system at night while sleeping. This means this soundcure machine will be going on for maybe six hours I just hope that this is the best program. Right now we are having alot of low pressure systems come through our area and I think I have notice in the past that this will also cause a spike in the Tinnitus. I kind of feel like a guinea pig being tested but I will follow her instructions as she stated that the representative for the Soundcure folks said this would be ok. So at night I wear the Soundcure and durring the rest of the day I wear my Zen hearing aids.

 

That is very interesting. I'm sure you'll be listening to it on a low volume. Another sound therapy, which is just getting started, is used also during sleep. Perhaps, this type of sound therapy will offer superior and/or more rapid results than traditional sound treatments. According to Otoharmonics, the pioneer in this treatment, sound therapy while sleeping is like "defragging your hard drive" as your unconscious brain clears out old, erroneous connections that cause tinnitus.

http://otoharmonics.com/approach​

CBT is cognitive behavioral therapy. It is a type of psychological therapy that helps people better cope with negative feelings, like the ones that tinnitus gives us. It's actually the only psychological approach that is recommended for tinnitus sufferers in a recent medical guide for tinnitus practitioners. While CBT won't lower your noise, it should help you reframe your reaction to it. If you don't react to your noise, it will be easier to habituate to it. If, however, you are fine with your noise--i.e., it doesn't bother you; you just want rid of it--then CBT may not help.

Below is a book on CBT for panic disorder and another general CBT book. The advice in each would be the same as for tinnitus. TT is fortunate to have a distinguished CBT practitioner on its forum, Dr. Hubbard, who has his own Dr.'s Corner.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/076792083X/?tag=tinntalk-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0380810336/?tag=tinntalk-20

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/forums/dr-bruce-hubbard.76/
​

Here is a link to the treatment guideline cited above. Sound therapy and CBT are both recommended as well as hearing aids. So I know you're on the right path!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25273878


​

 

Thanks Jazz as does help to know that there is help for people who have our condiion. The only thing wrong with this Soundcure system as far as I can see are the ear buds. But my audioligist stated to me that the rep from the company stated to her that I could use another set of ear buds not just the ones they supply.

 

A lot of us have a problem with earbuds, they aren't so comfortable and the reproduction of sound isn't that good, especially at low levels, plus they spike my tinnitus no matter what i listen to.

I would have thought that they give you a high quality earbud that has been tested to reproduce their sounds evenly across the frequency spectrum at the volume you need, so replacing them with another wouldn't be advisable. That's if the system is properly engineered and designed of course. There is a big difference in brands and their reproduction of sound depending on what you go for.

Do they offer any other way of listening?

 

Hello all,
I had a nice conversation with Jon this morning (cowdodge). It seems we are having similar experiences with the SoundCure Serenade. I have been using the therapy for going on two months, and have not seen a clear benefit as of yet. In fact, the only effect so far is to actually cause the condition to seem louder and more 'organized'. My audiologist explained this may occur, and that any change is a good sign. I am not so optimistic.....

I plan to keep it up, and at this point I am hoping I don't make it any worse !

 

I kind of wish a soundcure rep would step in here sometime and give us more information on the folks they used for there trials. I would be the first one to step up to the plate with the pros and cons of there system. But I do not think that will happen as there lititure is really vauge. So hear I sit with my zen sounds and thinking its time for nap Now that I have ear buds that fit confortably while laying on a pillow we shall see if using system while sleeping really works. I'm just glad that I do not twist and turn while I sleep as that cord that goes to the Soundcure might become a problem Jon (Go Seahawks)

 

The one thing I notice about the Soundcure device is that it states in it literature that the tinnitus noise or the Sound Cure noise will disappear after you use it for a short while. Well the soundcure noise seems to get absorbed by my tinnitus noise. I tried to wear them all night but this doesn't work as it seems to make my tinnitus noise louder and not softer. So when you do wake up in the middle of the night with the soundcure device on your brain is put on high alert and that makes the ringing or whatever seem to be louder. I will not give up on this system yet and will give it the six month test. I will continue trying to sleep with it on but for how long? Who know?

 

First and foremost . . . . tinnitus is NOT a disease therefore it cannot be cured. It is a symptom/byproduct of many conditions or aliments. Some of these have treatments and as a result, the tinnitus will subside. (check out Mayo clinic, diseases/conditions/tinnitus).
There are people who feel more at ease with tinnitus masking solutions . . . . sounds other than the "tinnitus'.
This is a psychological solution. Using sound to neutralize tinnitus like active noise control (ANC) won't work because the auditory system isn't actually creating the sound as such. "Sound cures" may cause more problems in the long term . . . example . . . white noise . . . "Studies on marine animals have demonstrated that changes in hair bundle density paralleled changes in hair cell nucleus density, indicating that entire hair cells disappeared following noise exposure; the inner ear damage is characterised by a permanent threshold elevation after an exposure to white noise ranging in intensity from 130 to 170 dB . Although there are differences among the ears of different species, the basic processes of hearing are the same between marine and terrestrial mammals."
For a solution/remedy for tinnitus . . . yes . . . find out what condition it is a symptom of . . . . but also ask the question . . . . . what is the mechanism within the brain that is creating the tinnitus.
Neurotransmitters (chemicals within the brain) setoff electrical impulses. It is part of normal brain function.
My belief is that . . . if per se, there is no physical damage caused by an extreme noise scenario to the cochlea,
but tinnitus exists (this happens more than we think), then abnormal or distorted electrical impulses caused by, I would call them rogue neurotransmitters, are sent to the cochlear nerve creating a plethora of signals between the cochlear nerve and the cilia, resulting in what is know as tinnitus.
Just a few thoughts : )

 

Yes, we know that tinnitus is a symptom of auditory dysfunction, not a disease in itself. It's like having a fever. A fever is not a disease but a symptom of an infection. That said, SoundCure (which is an awful name) is not a cure. Rather its purpose is to help your brain habituate to the noise. The aberrant neural firing is still there; but your brain is not relaying the noise to your consciousness.

 

Yes, that does not sound good. Your brain does seem to be overstimulated. Actually, the auditory system is very active while we sleep, but you definitely don't want to irritate it by providing too much stimulation. I'd go slow with the device, but use it daily. Let your brain get used to it. There was another study about this device published recently and it does help some people. But it does not help everyone. And, if you tinnitus gets a lot worse, just quit it and let your brain reset back to normal.

Here is a reference to it from the SoundCure site. (I do hate that name; as you know, it should be called something else as it is a habituation device, just like the sound devices used in TRT).

http://www.soundcure.com/news/sound...-effective-broadband-noise-reducing-tinnitus/​