Music soothes hearing problem
Tuesday December 29th, 2009
Modern music technology may provide the key to treating chronic ringing in the ears, researchers reported last night.
The condition called tinnitus causes misery to millions of people.
Now German researchers have developed a music-based therapy to treat sufferers.
The treatment involves taking a patient's favourite music - and then removing frequencies that cause tinnitus.
Doctors report that after a year of listening to the adapted music, patients report a "distinct decrease" in the loudness of ringing.
The research was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Christo Pantev, of the University of Muenster, Münster, Germany.
Dr Pantev reports: "The therapy is inexpensive and enjoyable and could be used to improve the function of patients with a distorted auditory cortex."
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences #09-11268
Tags: Europe | General Health | Hearing
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