By Michael Piskosz, M.S., CCC-A
Tinnitus is the most prevalent physical disability reported by service members. Previously, there were very few devices that could treat both hearing loss and tinnitus in one system – and these devices didn’t have the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing sound therapy plan recommended by the VA-accepted Progressive Tinnitus Management Program.
Tinnitus tools should include the flexibility to treat tinnitus in a relaxing, calming or soothing manner with dynamic sound enrichment. ReSound Live TS works well in conjunction with the Progressive Tinnitus Management program, which uses a combination of patient education, sound enrichment/therapy and coping techniques to manage reactions to tinnitus.
ReSound recently interviewed sixty-one VA audiologists who have fit patients with ReSound Live TS since November 2009. Evidence from the survey demonstrated the effectiveness of the LiveTM TS hearing instrument in helping clinicians achieve their tinnitus treatment goals.
ReSound’s Live TS combination device provides the flexibility to treat hearing loss and tinnitus independently or in a combination approach. The combination device employs a Tinnitus Sound Generator (TSG) to provide a combination of steady-state broad-band white noise and more dynamic adjustments for sound enrichment.
Using Live TS as a combination device can assist in reducing the perception of tinnitus by applying an adjustable white noise. The sound generator reduces the contrast of the tinnitus to the background environment, helping the brain to habituate to the tinnitus or ignore it.
Of those VA audiologists interviewed, 83% reported a significant or satisfactory improvement in tinnitus symptoms after activating the Sound Generator feature.
Read the full whitepaper on Tinnitus Management in the VA.