University of Minnesota Tinnitus Research with Acoustic and Body Stimulation

So if the trial recommended limitations translates to the designed population, this device doesn't make sense. The device isn't going to improve you structurally so even if you start using the device in the acute phase over time you will have tinnitus for longer than a year. I've been a skeptic of U of M's effort on this for a couple years and while I hope I am wrong I think this device is destine to become irrelevant.

 

Just checking in on this thread, has there been any update as to the ETA of her study or potentially her device to market?

 

They are currently in their second trial and estimate it to be complete by early fall (barring any COVID-19 delays). Dr. Shore did not express a timeframe for commercialization at this point.

 

Take it easy. @linearb has had tinnitus since 1999 and the Dr. Shore helped him. Would anyone have a link to information about the one-year deadline?

 

In fact it was linearb's "I've also had tinnitus for a long time" (since 1999) comment from a couple of years back that piqued my own interest, especially because he benefited from the UMich "device". My own tinnitus goes back many years but of course the more recent eligibility criteria creates an inconsistency. I actually corresponded with Dr. Shore on this point to try and understand more but I'm none the wiser I have to say.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03621735

 

I would love to have clarification because yeah, there's something at the moment that doesn't make sense. If we were to get really picky with the eligibility criteria it's actually tinnitus present for at least 6 months and preferably <1 year, i.e. in reality the window is an even narrower 6 months.

I think about 18 months ago Susan Shore accepted an invite to do a podcast for Tinnitus Talk. Evidently that hasn't happened but if it ever does we might get the opportunity to put these questions directly to her.

 

Where do you get the notion this device won’t cause structural changes? Indeed that is exactly what it does. In general, earlier is always easier because it has less time to be reinforced.

What questions? Nobody is saying it won’t or can’t work for tinnitus that has been around longer. Silence after 30+ years here

 

@kelpiemsp You're one of the main reasons people here want to keep going despite the ravage that tinnitus is causing. Fingers crossed bimodulation devices will fix people like it did for you. Thank you for instilling hope in all of us.

 

As a near 30 year ear ringer I'm genuinely pleased to hear that you've got silence.

I would absolutely stick to the point I made about the trial criteria though. If the device can be intended for use by any person regardless of how much time they've had tinnitus why not make the eligibility criteria; troublesome tinnitus onset >6 months with no upper time limit?

Aside from anything (although I'd appreciate @PeterPan's view on this because of his experience with statistics) I'm inclined to believe that focusing on a 6 month window could produce a statistical anomaly.

P.S. @PeterPan FYI in case you're unaware, eligibility criteria for the current UMich trial of their bi-modal stimulation device states: Preferably onset of tinnitus less than one year ago, but present for at least 6 months. Tinnitus should be bothersome.

 

Well I was in trial and had tinnitus for 30 years. The general eligibility requirements are there for study design purposes mainly. You start with the population you think will be most responsive first. It would be senseless to study the whole gamut, especially if you expect some sort of dose response. For example... people with a longer duration of tinnitus, might just require more time in treatment, time that is longer than allowable in a phase one study design.

 

@kelpiemsp

Did your internal derangement in your TMJ have anything to do with your tinnitus? I have a grade 5 in my left side according to my MRI report. MN Head and Neck person I had seen didn’t think my TMD was causing my tinnitus. She is an assistant professor at the U of MN listed below. Shanti Kaimal.

Glad you found some relief! Is the treatment you had available to others? If so, who do you contact?

https://www.dentalclinics.umn.edu/o...ofacial-pain-and-dental-sleep-medicine-clinic

 

I’m not fully researched on the tinnitus TMD connection, other than it exists. My internal derangement isn’t going away, that’s impossible. But my tinnitus did. I did form an MRI confirmed pseudodisc in each by performing the exercises religiously. My TMD is still improving, but not fully healed. After stage 5 the pain usually goes away. Arthritis of TMJ is much different than arthritis else were. Something like 30 percent of humans, at minimum, have internal derangement. It’s part of being human, and not a big deal. Remodeling (arthritis of the jaw) can be your joints finding a stasis that fits with how your teeth fit, how you hold your jaw, etc.

 

What exercises did you do?

 

How did your tinnitus go away? Is the treatment you had available to others at this point? Is it bimodal similar to Lenire?

 

@kelpiemsp was part of a trial for the University of Minnesota's bimodal device. Unfortunately the man who was leading the development for the device left the project to work for Neuromod. As far as I know at this time the Minnesota device is no longer being worked on. Which is really unfortunate because it seemed to be the most promising out of the 3 devices.

 

I guess Lenire is our only choice at the moment then and it isn’t available in the U.S. as far as I know.

 

Google the rocabado exercises!

From the trial. I also had exposure to timings that were calibrated via EEG as well as approximately 9 months of research. AKA, I was lucky.

 

@kelpiemsp is your tinnitus fully gone? I thought you stated earlier in your posts some mild form remained, like MML 10-15dB.

 

Congrats on your newly found silence.

Must be amazing.

And the fact that you had tinnitus for several decades, gives me hope.

Can I ask if you have a hearing loss?

 

Damn. I wish I lived near Minnesota. Otherwise, I'll jump to be a long term participant...

So are there any results from this research?

 

Do you think he will make Lenire better with what he had learnt or do you think we just lost out on the most promising device?

It seems like a waste to throw away research on a device that we know has cured one of our members.

 

I have a dip down to 10 dB. Some people consider that hearing loss?

 

I attribute much of my specific success to having timing coordinated with an EEG, and likely experience to parameters unsuitable to the general population.

 

Hard to say. Not sure it matters. If I try really hard and plug my ears and focus and think, I can hear a sound. But I’d rather not. From a practical perspective, I don’t hear it for weeks at a time.

 

You mean a qEEG? Anyway, I'm baffled this device is not worked on any more.

 

No I mean EEG. I’ve never heard of a qEEG. The goal of the EEG was to determine how long the sound took to actually cause a reaction. They used this as a starting point for timings.

 

The difference between EEG and qEEG lies in the q.

A standard electroencephalogram (EEG) records electrical activity or brainwaves that are representative of underlying cortical brain activity.

The qEEG process allows us to create a brain map through this combination of precise measurement and quantitative comparison.

 

Honestly, I agree with this approach. I'm sure a lot of people could hear some noise if they plugged their ears but why would you bother. It's a problem when you can hear it in daily life.

 

Do you think it would be feasible to give everyone suffering from tinnitus to the point where it affects their lives the attention you were given?

It might be a lot of effort but it’s something that may work for many. Especially when you look at what tinnitus has driven some people to do.

 

Are you sure this device isn’t being worked on anymore? That would be terrible news if true.