Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay have developed an affordable Tinnitus diagnosis and management device. Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of any external stimulus, so other people cannot hear it, and is commonly described as ringing in one ear, in both ears and in the head.
The device and the supporting application software developed by the IIT, Bombay researchers offers a comprehensive approach that includes precise tinnitus matching, customisable multimodal tinnitus management approach and disease progress tracking at an affordable cost.
The objective of the project is to equip clinicians with the precise tinnitus diagnosis tools and provide each patient a unique experience in the tinnitus management, said a statement from the IIT, Bombay.
Apart from IIT Bombay, the project received funding from Tata Centre for Technology and Design (TCTD),and Wadhwani Research Centre for Bioengineering (WRCB), the statement added.
Although there is no known cure for tinnitus, there are management strategies and techniques that help many sufferers find relief. It is not a disease in itself but is usually a symptom of another underlying health condition, such as damage to the auditory system or tensions occurring in the head and neck.
Common causes of tinnitus include exposure to loud noise, old age, ear infections and stress.
Tinnitus is common, affecting up to one in four people. It is mostly experienced by older adults but can appear for children. For some, it goes away without intervention. For others, it can be debilitatingly life changing: affecting hearing, mood, concentration, sleep and in severe cases, causing anxiety or depression.
