Chronic tinnitus/transcranial magnet stimulation
A tinnitus can become chronic when it lasts for several months. In this case, processes occur, which lead to a “centralisation” of the tinnitus; the noise in the ear “lodges” itself in cerebral structures of the auditory pathway.
In Germany, approximately 4 million people, especially in adulthood, are affected by chronic tinnitus. During childhood, chronic tinnitus is very rare.
Frequently, persons affected consult a therapist after they have gone a long and unsuccessful way from one physician to the next (…non-medical practitioner, miracle healer…). The psychological burden can be extremely various; we assume that some few per cent of people affected suffer from significant impairments in every-day life.
weiter zur Therapie...
In Germany, approximately 4 million people, especially in adulthood, are affected by chronic tinnitus. During childhood, chronic tinnitus is very rare.
Frequently, persons affected consult a therapist after they have gone a long and unsuccessful way from one physician to the next (…non-medical practitioner, miracle healer…). The psychological burden can be extremely various; we assume that some few per cent of people affected suffer from significant impairments in every-day life.
Current treatment approaches are mainly based on psychotherapeutic procedures (in a broader sense among others behavioural therapy, retraining therapy, treatment in tinnitus clinics). Upon the presence of auditory disorders, an optimum supply of audiphones often plays a decisive role. Only in special cases are drugs a possibility.
The otorhinolaryngology department at the EuromedClinic participates in the research of the effect of rTMS within the scope of a study of the Regensburg University sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Community). The stimulations have been carried out at our clinic since autumn 2007.
The study is extraordinarily important for proving the efficiency. The tests so far have shown the safety of the treatment and clear preliminary success. Whether or not the expenditure of the stimulation for treatment, even at the cost of the units of outputs, is justified in the future, however, may only be conclusively proved by a comparative study with an effective stimulation, compared to “placebo” stimulation.
An assumption of costs by the compulsory insurances is currently not possible, since the magnet stimulation for treating tinnitus has not yet been approved in Germany. Private health insurances may take on the costs in rational promising cases within the scope of a so-called healing attempt.
Treatments within the scope of the study take place FREE OF ALL CHARGES for compulsory insured patients also at the EuromedClinic. Subsequent to an analysis of the criteria necessary for participating in the study (age, hearing ability, concomitant diseases and other), extensive information and explanation in writing, a series of treatments of 2x5 units are carried out for two consecutive weeks (plain time of treatment 30 mins each). Subsequently, there is a three-month follow-up period. In doing so, the changes in the tinnitus and the hearing ability are observed and documented accurately. (Making contact via the phone or an enquiry via e-mail are possible upon interest).
Today, insights due to research works over the past few years have made the “auditory cortex” of the brain the focus of interest. The region exhibiting a special activation in 80% of the tinnitus patients is positioned on the left side of the brain, in the so-called temporal lobe (located over the left ear in the cranium). An absolutely new treatment approach was deduced from that at the Regensburg University in early 2001: The use of the repetitive transcranial magnet stimulation (rTMS). This is a procedure upon which a short-term magnetic field is produced by sending a surge of current through a copper spool. The magnetic field in turn leads to a small electric field in the aimed-for brain tissue (electro-magnetic induction) and to an affection of neural tissue. The spool is placed over the cranium in a way that the brain region the tinnitus is presumed in is hit by a magnetic impulse. This is done free of pain and without contact. By repeated use of the magnetic field (that is why it is called repetitive) a neuro-biological restructuring of the neural tissue is caused – presumably. This is a medium-term effect (within a couple of weeks). In doing so, inhibiting neural impulses are built up again and thus the tinnitus is “eliminated”. Up until today, this does not work completely but insofar that the mostly heavily affected patients experience significant relief.
These findings were sensational, especially because even people with long-lasting tinnitus got effective therapy for the first time.
zurück zur Definition
The otorhinolaryngology department at the EuromedClinic participates in the research of the effect of rTMS within the scope of a study of the Regensburg University sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Community). The stimulations have been carried out at our clinic since autumn 2007.
The study is extraordinarily important for proving the efficiency. The tests so far have shown the safety of the treatment and clear preliminary success. Whether or not the expenditure of the stimulation for treatment, even at the cost of the units of outputs, is justified in the future, however, may only be conclusively proved by a comparative study with an effective stimulation, compared to “placebo” stimulation.
An assumption of costs by the compulsory insurances is currently not possible, since the magnet stimulation for treating tinnitus has not yet been approved in Germany. Private health insurances may take on the costs in rational promising cases within the scope of a so-called healing attempt.
Treatments within the scope of the study take place FREE OF ALL CHARGES for compulsory insured patients also at the EuromedClinic. Subsequent to an analysis of the criteria necessary for participating in the study (age, hearing ability, concomitant diseases and other), extensive information and explanation in writing, a series of treatments of 2x5 units are carried out for two consecutive weeks (plain time of treatment 30 mins each). Subsequently, there is a three-month follow-up period. In doing so, the changes in the tinnitus and the hearing ability are observed and documented accurately. (Making contact via the phone or an enquiry via e-mail are possible upon interest).
Today, insights due to research works over the past few years have made the “auditory cortex” of the brain the focus of interest. The region exhibiting a special activation in 80% of the tinnitus patients is positioned on the left side of the brain, in the so-called temporal lobe (located over the left ear in the cranium). An absolutely new treatment approach was deduced from that at the Regensburg University in early 2001: The use of the repetitive transcranial magnet stimulation (rTMS). This is a procedure upon which a short-term magnetic field is produced by sending a surge of current through a copper spool. The magnetic field in turn leads to a small electric field in the aimed-for brain tissue (electro-magnetic induction) and to an affection of neural tissue. The spool is placed over the cranium in a way that the brain region the tinnitus is presumed in is hit by a magnetic impulse. This is done free of pain and without contact. By repeated use of the magnetic field (that is why it is called repetitive) a neuro-biological restructuring of the neural tissue is caused – presumably. This is a medium-term effect (within a couple of weeks). In doing so, inhibiting neural impulses are built up again and thus the tinnitus is “eliminated”. Up until today, this does not work completely but insofar that the mostly heavily affected patients experience significant relief.
These findings were sensational, especially because even people with long-lasting tinnitus got effective therapy for the first time.
Department(s)