Tinnitus is often an untreatable condition. In most cases therefore, it can only be managed. Digital Health could play a key role in this management.
What does Digital Health Mean?
Digital Health is a hybrid medical discipline that combines various technologies like telehealth, personalized treatment, IT and wearable devices to deliver a treatment solution for a patient suffering from a problematic health condition like Tinnitus. Besides helping with treatment, Digital Health is often also leveraged to develop, improve or introduce new medical products to help manage or treat health conditions. Digital Health is an emerging field led by top scientists from around the world. The Stanford Digital Health Report is one of the best examples of how digital health is being used as an innovative way to address health concerns.
How can Digital Health help Tinnitus?
Digital Health technologies have already been applied to Tinnitus Treatment. Lenire is one example. Lenire is a neuromodulation device. When a Tinnitus sufferer uses Lenire, the device transmits a neurological signal to stimulate the trigeminal nerve through the tongue. The intent is to help the Tinnitus sufferer disassociate himself or herself from the constant ringing in the ears, by introducing new stimulation. Over time and through a carefully administered treatment program through an app and hardware that is continuously and remotely tweaked by Lenire hearing professionals, the Tinnitus sufferer is eventually able to habituate to Tinnitus.
Habituation can significantly improve the quality of a Tinnitus patient. This is achieved as the patient is no longer subject to constant anxiety, thoughts and fear about their Tinnitus or ringing in the ears.
It is believed that Tinnitus treatment in the future will also heavily rely on digital health platforms and technologies as Tinnitus is such a subjective condition that varier from patient to patient.
