According to the American Tinnitus Association, more than 25 million adults in the United States have tinnitus, a condition that includes phantom sounds like ringing and buzzing in the ears, and may even lead to hearing loss.
There is no cure.
However, with the help of tools like hearing aids, mindfulness therapies, or even acupuncture, many are able to reduce their symptoms.
But a new device called the Lenire, which was recently approved by the FDA, is introducing the use of electrical stimulation of the tongue to help treat tinnitus.
The device includes a plastic mouthpiece with stainless steel electrodes that stimulate the tongue during hour-long sessions. The device is also paired with a set of headphones that play a series of tones and ocean-wave sounds.
By shifting the brain’s attention away from the buzzing or “phantom sounds,” Lenire re-trains the brain to understand that those sounds are not important information that requires the user to pay attention.
“It's kind of like if I lived near a waterfall and the waterfall was constantly going," singer-songwriter Victoria Banks, told NPR. After using Lenire treatments, the Nashville musician began experiencing relief.
“My brain is now focusing on other things,” like listening to, writing, and performing music, she said.
While the device is not a cure-all and comes with a steep $4,000 out-of-pocket cost for non-insured users, it boasts impressive clinical trial results, with 91% of users experiencing a significant reduction in tinnitus symptoms.
A recent paper published by The American Journal of Audiology is the second to affirm that thousands of U.S. tinnitus patients have been “successfully treated with Lenire,” according to a statement from the company.
The study found that, after six weeks of treatment with Lenire, 72.6% of patients with bothersome tinnitus had a clinically meaningful reduction in tinnitus. After 12-weeks, 81.8% of patients saw a clinically meaningful reduction in symptoms.
“Lenire was nothing less than a game-changer in my life. I went from debilitating, almost catastrophic tinnitus, that required medication to treat the depression and anxiety, to being able to enjoy life again after four months of Lenire,” Richard Bistrong, a tinnitus patient at New York Hearing Doctors, said in a statement.
“Three years later, I can enjoy my life and not worry about my tinnitus.”
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A version of this article was originally published in The 2024 Music Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
Header image courtesy of Lenire
