External electrical tinnitus suppression: a review. 1987

A Shulman
Division of Otolaryngology, State University of New York, Brooklyn 11203.

Our experience with transcutaneous electrical stimulation for tinnitus suppression has been with the Theraband Headset from Audimax Inc. The purpose of this article is to review the highlights of the patients who exhibited tinnitus suppression and/or tinnitus control, and to provide an update of our results and techniques using external electrical stimulation with prolonged stimulation (stage IV). Patient selection is considered critical to the success of external electrical stimulation for tinnitus suppression. The key elements include the clinical finding of a peripheral site of lesion of the tinnitus; positive maskability of the symptom of tinnitus; absence of active ear disease; absence of a vestibular asymmetry; and absence or minimal evidence of dysfunction of the central auditory system. The protocol described for patient selection allows for tinnitus identification, the differentiation of clinical tinnitus types, and the clinical application of the concept of the dynamic range of electrical tinnitus suppression. External electrical tinnitus suppression is believed effective in a limited number of patients clinically identified as having a tinnitus site of lesion primarily peripheral in location and cochlear in type. The present device is not commercially available at this time. Both specific and general suggestions are proposed for the standardization of methods of reporting results of electrical tinnitus suppression and tinnitus control.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010470 Perceptual Masking The interference of one perceptual stimulus with another causing a decrease or lessening in perceptual effectiveness. Masking, Perceptual,Maskings, Perceptual,Perceptual Maskings
D012000 Recruitment Detection, Audiologic Tests for measuring loudness recruitment. Alternate Binaural Loudness Balance Test,Loudness Recruitment Detection,Short Increment Sensitivity Index,Audiologic Recruitment Detection,Detection, Audiologic Recruitment,Detection, Loudness Recruitment,Recruitment Detection, Loudness
D004561 Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation The use of specifically placed small electrodes to deliver electrical impulses across the SKIN to relieve PAIN. It is used less frequently to produce ANESTHESIA. Analgesic Cutaneous Electrostimulation,Electric Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Electroanalgesia,Percutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation,TENS,Transdermal Electrostimulation,Electrical Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation,Percutaneous Electrical Neuromodulation,Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapy,Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation,Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation,Cutaneous Electrostimulation, Analgesic,Electrical Neuromodulation, Percutaneous,Electrical Neuromodulations, Percutaneous,Electroanalgesias,Electrostimulation, Analgesic Cutaneous,Electrostimulation, Transdermal,Nerve Stimulation, Transcutaneous,Neuromodulation Therapy, Percutaneous,Neuromodulation, Percutaneous Electrical,Neuromodulations, Percutaneous Electrical,Percutaneous Electrical Neuromodulations,Percutaneous Neuromodulation Therapies,Stimulation, Transcutaneous Electric,Stimulation, Transcutaneous Nerve,Therapy, Percutaneous Neuromodulation,Transcutaneous Electric Stimulation,Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation
D004599 Electric Stimulation Therapy Application of electric current in treatment without the generation of perceptible heat. It includes electric stimulation of nerves or muscles, passage of current into the body, or use of interrupted current of low intensity to raise the detection threshold of the skin to pain. Electrotherapy,Electrical Stimulation Therapy,Interferential Current Electrotherapy,Therapeutic Electric Stimulation,Therapeutic Electrical Stimulation,Therapy, Electric Stimulation,Electric Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrical Stimulation, Therapeutic,Electrotherapy, Interferential Current,Stimulation Therapy, Electric,Stimulation Therapy, Electrical,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electric,Stimulation, Therapeutic Electrical,Therapy, Electrical Stimulation
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014012 Tinnitus A nonspecific symptom of hearing disorder characterized by the sensation of buzzing, ringing, clicking, pulsations, and other noises in the ear. Objective tinnitus refers to noises generated from within the ear or adjacent structures that can be heard by other individuals. The term subjective tinnitus is used when the sound is audible only to the affected individual. Tinnitus may occur as a manifestation of COCHLEAR DISEASES; VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE DISEASES; INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION; CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA; and other conditions. Pulsatile Tinnitus,Ringing-Buzzing-Tinnitus,Spontaneous Oto-Acoustic Emission Tinnitus,Tensor Palatini Induced Tinnitus,Tensor Tympani Induced Tinnitus,Tinnitus of Vascular Origin,Tinnitus, Clicking,Tinnitus, Leudet,Tinnitus, Leudet's,Tinnitus, Noise Induced,Tinnitus, Objective,Tinnitus, Spontaneous Oto-Acoustic Emission,Tinnitus, Subjective,Tinnitus, Tensor Palatini Induced,Tinnitus, Tensor Tympani Induced,Vascular Origin Tinnitus,Clicking Tinnitus,Induced Tinnitus, Noise,Leudet Tinnitus,Leudet's Tinnitus,Noise Induced Tinnitus,Objective Tinnitus,Ringing Buzzing Tinnitus,Spontaneous Oto Acoustic Emission Tinnitus,Subjective Tinnitus,Tinnitus, Leudets,Tinnitus, Pulsatile,Tinnitus, Spontaneous Oto Acoustic Emission,Tinnitus, Vascular Origin
D014724 Vestibular Function Tests A number of tests used to determine if the brain or balance portion of the inner ear are causing dizziness. Function Test, Vestibular,Function Tests, Vestibular,Test, Vestibular Function,Tests, Vestibular Function,Vestibular Function Test

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