Cleanhearing Sono (Electromagnetic Stimulation & Notched Music) — Reviews or Experiences?

Hello guys! I just came across this device and I'm wondering if anyone has used/uses it. I didn't find any related threads using the search engine, so I thought maybe I should post it here.

"Cleanhearing Sono technology is based on years of clinical research into the effects of pulsed electromagnetic stimulation on tinnitus and related conditions, leading to approval for Sono as a Class IIa medical device for tinnitus relief at home.

Numerous controlled studies on pulsed electromagnetic stimulation have shown it to be significantly more effective in relieving tinnitus symptoms when compared to sham treatments with no adverse events observed. Notched music, provided via the Cleanhearing app, is also shown by clinical trials to be beneficial and safe for a subset of tinnitus patients with a pure-tone tinnitus."

From: https://www.cleanhearing.com/​

What do you think?

 

Never heard of it, and so I don't have much hope it works.

I know the day that something really works, it's going to be all over the place.

 

@NYCGuy, yeah I totally agree with you. However, these guys seem to have a lot of confidence in their product. I'll try to search more on their social media for any honest comment from users.

 

Hey @DimLeb, I am throwing everything including the kitchen sink at my recent onset of chronic tinnitus and have this in my cart to purchase right now. I’m trying to do as much research as I can as far as the science goes but if this does produce any results for me I will absolutely report back in this thread.

 

So whether it’s foolish or not, I actually just purchased the device. I am desperate which is a terrible place to be but if I actually commit to it, I will advise.

 

@IntotheBlue03, I hope it works for you. Please share your experience with it for us here. I am considering it myself.

Did you buy it or are you renting it for 4 months?

 

I purchased Ti-ex in 2011. It is the Mark 1 version of the Sono. I still use it twice a day and find it very helpful for my tinnitus. I paid 280 Euros, compared to the new version at 2000 Euros.

l was also desperate back in 2011 so bought Ti-ex out-right instead of renting. After 6 months use I started noticing improvement but this was slow. My tinnitus had changed to variable and became very severe, after a second noise trauma.

 

Hi @Davek,

It only gave me the option to purchase it outright since I’m in the USA. 4 month trial of course. I have reactive tinnitus and am at the end of my rope lately so unfortunately an impulse buy.

 

After using Ti-ex for 4 months there was no improvement. I thought I'd wasted my money. However I persisted, after 6 months began noticing improvement.

 

To DimLeb and IntotheBlue3:

Don't chastise yourselves in the slightest for "throwing everything but the kitchen sink at my recent onset of chronic tinnitus".

In my eight year struggle with this I estimated that I paid out about $12,500.00 in "treatments", acupuncture, Cranial Sacral "therapy", supplements of every variety, etc.

My most guilt-inducing error was to undertake in December 2016 an allegedly novel, "revolutionary" treatment called "Desyncra", which was billed as a sound therapy for the total cost of $6,200.00. I dutifully wore their headset for 36 weeks, and it had as much effect on my tinnitus as shining a flashlight on my head would have had (and they are no longer in business).

The fact remains that if I had not tried all this, I would never have known whether any of it would produce results or be no more than placebo junk (which was all it was).

I fully understand the mental state you both are in. I would have paid an additional $10,000.00 to an Astrologer if this would have alleviated this condition.

I looked into Cleanhearing's Website; ask about their "four-month satisfaction guarantee", and whether a partial refund would be available if it does nothing.

Also, what's up with the rental option? After how long should this be working?

The value of this Forum resides in posters such as yourselves who can without any bias report the results of such "treatments" (and for quite legitimate reasons I do not regard Michael Leigh as such a credible source).

 

Hi @DaveFromChicago,

Thanks so much for reaching out and for the reassurance. I’m suffering with reactive high frequency tinnitus and the lack of having any real ability to mask it has made me a basket case. I’m already $7k in on all those treatments and will report back about neuropuncture (electric acupuncture) which is listed here on Tinnitus Talk as a recent alternative treatment and I live within driving distance of the practitioner. 4 treatments in I am trying to remain hopeful because of her “study” published last August but getting more desperate all the same.

Very sorry to hear Desyncra did not help, interestingly enough the only moment to moment relief I have gotten is with @generalfuzz and others’ ACRN tracks. I do experience some residual inhibition but of course it’s only for a minute at a time. I’ve been trying to listen to those tracks for at least 4 hours a day but of course the monotonousness of the tones seems to produce it’s own stress. @OptimusPrimed actually just posted about how they are revisiting this to extend the space between tones as that may prove to be more effective.

It looks like the rental option is only for EUers? I did not have that option so I bought outright, I’ll definitely be checking into that guarantee and here’s to hoping I will be able to function to even inquire about it lol but I will definitely respond back with results.

Has anyone been able to dig up any further news about the modifications made to the new unit? It definitely seems the Ti-Ex was a fail but it looks like this just became available in October of last year thanks to delays with COVID-19, etc.

 

Hi All,

Just posting the response I got when inquiring about this device as compared to other PEMF models that I had read users had adverse reaction to here on Tinnitus Talk (NeoRhythm for example). My device arrives today.

 

Please keep us posted if this works for you! Crossing all fingers and toes!

 

@IntotheBlue03, that's very brave of you to try the device! I really hope it works positively for you. Not many people have used it as I've found out.

I know all these treatments are probably not better than placebo, but it's all we get to have at the moment and not much can be done anyway.

Although I'm doing relatively okay these days, as my tinnitus is towards the mild side, I have some concerning downs with it being fluctuating and erratically multi-tonal. So, I definitely have the device always in mind.

Looking forward to seeing if it helps you!

 

Did you use it over the weekend @IntotheBlue03?

 

Hi there,

So at this point I don’t have good news to report. The manufacturer recommended using it for 5 minutes twice daily if you are concerned about any spikes and to increase to 20 minutes incrementally from there over the course of a couple weeks.

I did my initial treatment of 5 minutes and a couple hours later I had a huge spike in my tinnitus. While correlation isn’t causation I have never had a spike in my tinnitus before ever and my tinnitus has been going on consistently at the same level (or at times lower) for 8 weeks at this point. So I am concerned that the device caused this. It lasted an hour and resulted in tremors for me.

I haven’t picked the device up since for concern this could turn out like the Neo PEMF device and that’s just not worth the risk for me. I will most likely return it.

Sorry everyone.

 

Hi @IntotheBlue03.

I have the Tiex machine which is the mark one version of Clearhearing Sono device. When I first used it back in 2011, the manufacturer advised the tinnitus may increase after using it but the effects are usually temporary. It is also a sign the device is working.

Unfortunately some people stopped using Tiex after noticing a tinnitus increase and returned it for a refund under the four month trial period.

My tinnitus not only increased, it also had large fluctuations in intensity more than what I was used to but I persisted. It was recommended to use Tiex for 30 minutes twice a day. The instruction manual mentioned if there wasn't any improvement in the tinnitus after four months then Tiex is unlikely to work.

At the four month mark there was no improvement but I kept using it. After six months I began noticing improvement in the tinnitus and still use it twice a day after 11 years.

Take care,
Michael

 

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the feedback. Just curious how long did you experience the spikes? Was it a month or 2? I’m going to reach out to Cleanhearing Sono as well for more information.

I’m also medicating with Grandaxin but not sure if this could be a factor in combined treatment.

 

Hi @IntotheBlue03.

The tinnitus would spike almost every time I used Tiex and remained at an increased level for 1 to 4 hours and then subside. There was no set pattern. This continued for many weeks right up to 4 months of use then started to improve.

It was just by chance I came across the Tiex website when browsing the Internet. I was so desperate I didn't bother to rent it. I bought it for around £280/€300. I know how you feel because it can be quite alarming noticing an increase in the tinnitus. I was also taking Clonazepam when the tinnitus was severe. It took 4 years to habituate for the second time and hope I never have to go through the experience again.

A combination of treatments has helped me, including Tiex. Please read my thread: My Experience with Tinnitus. Although I don't mention Tiex it is the device that I was referring to.

My Experience with Tinnitus | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

Michael

 

Silentium has been granted approval for use in South Africa from February 2023:

Silentium Tech receives regulatory approval from SAHPRA to bring new tinnitus treatment, Cleanhearing Sono, to South Africa

Company website:

https://www.cleanhearing.com/

 

What's your feelings on this? It seems almost too good to be true to be honest.

I HOPE I'M WRONG

 

@KoolKat, not great. They cite a ton of research on TMS and auditory notch therapy on their website, however I cannot see one single piece of research on 'their' device.

I've emailed them asking for a published study on their device.

EDIT:

They replied @KoolKat.

 

They clearly state in their FAQ that temporary worsening may occur. Any magnetic stimulation has such side effect as far as my knowledge goes. However, I understand your concern. Hopefully some people here will test it and check if the worsening is truly temporary.

 

Bumping up the thread, did anyone try the device?

 

I have the original version of the Cleanhearing Sono device, called Tiex. I bought it in 2011, when my tinnitus was very severe. I have used it twice a day for many years and found it helped a lot with managing my tinnitus. Whenever I stopped using Tiex, I noticed after a few days the tinnitus began to increase and I had to return to using it. I have tried numerous times over 12 years to reduce or stop using Tiex but the tinnitus always increases after a period of time. I have mentioned this in a previous post on this thread.

Since I have been regularly taking Epsom salt baths, I noticed my tinnitus is not so problematic, although it can still reach severe levels, requiring me to take Clonazepam - but there has been noticeable improvement in the way the tinnitus behaves and therefore, I decided to try reducing the use of the Tiex machine which I have done for 2 months. It is still early days but for now the tinnitus hasn't got worse.

Michael

 

I thought you habituated using TRT? Why are you still using devices and struggling?

 

I am not struggling with my tinnitus and I assure you that I have fully habituated. To understand my interpretation of habituation and what it actually means, please click on the links below and read my threads: How to Habituate to Tinnitus, and The Habituation Process.

I wish you well,
Michael

How to Habituate to Tinnitus | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
The Habituation Process | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

@Michael Leigh, did you find that it helps to calm down winding-up tinnitus or tinnitus that spikes or reacts to sounds in the environment?

 

The issue with Cleanhearing Sono is that there are zero studies on it. Almighty red flag. All the studies they cite are not using this product and are just other generic magnetic or sound stimulation studies. This actual product has no studies supporting it.

And given that, the price is extortionate.

 

I have variable tinnitus which is my definition of a more severe form of noise-induced tinnitus. It can be silent, mild, moderate, severe and very severe. It mostly affects people that have noise-induced tinnitus and have suffered a second noise trauma. There are variants of this type of tinnitus which I have explained in my thread: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus?

My tinnitus does no longer spike, this was cured using white noise generators as part of TRT 26 years ago. Spikes in tinnitus are usually an indication that a person has some form of hyperacusis or their auditory system has some hypersensitivity (usually to external sound) within it. These symptoms can be treated to become less or be completely cured using sound therapy. One of the best is using white noise generators under the care of an audiologist as counselling maybe required.

I found Tiex to be very helpful over the 12 years that I have used it. It helped to keep my tinnitus at a manageable level. As I have said, my tinnitus is variable. According to my ENT consultant and audiologist (who was born with tinnitus), I have a severe form of tinnitus that they don't often see in tinnitus patients. Please read my thread: My Experience with Tinnitus. I explain more about Tiex and how it helped me when my tinnitus changed to variable in 2008. Although I didn't start using Tiex until 2011.

I have stopped using Tiex for now but should my tinnitus start to increase, I will return to using it.

Michael

Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum
My Experience with Tinnitus | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum