Introducing Relax New Tinnitus Relief App
May 18, 2015
According to the American Tinnitus Association, about 50 million Americans experience the ringing, buzzing or whistling sensation in their ears otherwise known as tinnitus. No cure currently exists for tinnitus, but there is a management tool that can help provide personalized relief by lessening the impact of tinnitus so you can live better. Starkey Hearing Technologies is proud to introduce Relax, a new app to help provide personalized relief to those suffering from tinnitus.
Relax is a mobile app that works with both iOS and Android devices to give users 12 unique relief sounds and provide comprehensive tinnitus education and self-management. The app can be used in conjunction with or incorporated into already existing tinnitus management strategies:
- Hearing Aids: because most who experience tinnitus also experience hearing loss, ambient sounds can be amplified to cover tinnitus through Made for iPhone® or 900 MHz wireless hearing aids.
- Sound Therapy: incorporate Relax into your sound therapy program by using sound to decrease the loudness or prominence of tinnitus.
Relax also allows you to create new, customized relief sounds coupled with soothing images to accommodate the changing behavior of your tinnitus. By modifying the volume, frequency response and rate of fluctuation, users can create customized versions for each of the 12 relief sounds unique to their own tinnitus.
Relax offers the following sounds:
- Oscillating Fan
- Crackling Fire
Signia Pure Charge& go Ax
- Dedicated speech and background noise processing
- Program for music listening
- Tinnitus programs can be loaded to hearing aid
- Optional tinnitus therapy
- Limited tinnitus masker customization by consumer
- Portable charging case with drying feature
- Program for music listening
- Tinnitus programs integrated into hearing aid
- Limited battery life, requires daily charging
- Tinnitus masking programs can be loaded onto hearing aids
- Portable charging case with drying function
- Awkward stationary microUSB charging station
- App-powered transcription and translation option
- Turns on and off automatically
- Integrated tinnitus therapy
- Limited battery life, requires daily charging
Highly Recommended And Really Useful
I found this app at a time when my tinnitus had spiked and spiralled out of control. It offers a step by step approach with such useful activities. Who knew that I could not deep breath and clenched my jaw tightly for most of the day. This app helped me to gain some control, calm and relief. I use the app every day for sound therapy, relaxation exercises and for sleep at night. Thank you Oto team.
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How The Therapy Works
While different types of therapy used in the past generally only treat the symptoms of tinnitus, Tinnitracks targets the causeof your tinnitus by simply letting you listen to your music after it has been filtered.Tinnitus is caused by abnormally hyperactive nerve cells in the brain’s auditory center.
This hyperactivity can be soothed by listening to the individualized filtered music which leads to a long-term tinnitus relief.
The effectiveness of this therapy has been studied and approved inclinical studies.
Nuheara Earbuds For Tinnitus Relief
Easily control sound from the physical world via the tap touch earbud controls or the IQbuds smartphone app. While theres no cure yet for tinnitus, the devices and solutions above offer an increasing range of potential options for symptom relief.
about how Nuheara customers are using their earbuds to manage or mitigate their tinnitus symptoms.
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Content And Features Of The Apps
Detailed content analysis was conducted for those 18 apps that at least two respondents listed as those they have tried to manage their tinnitus. Full list of apps content and features is available in Multimedia Appendix 4.
Sound
Overall, 9 apps included the possibility to mix different sounds to create personalized soundscapes, with all those apps allowing to adjust the volume of the sounds individually and some of the apps allowing to adjust balance and pitch of individual sounds in the mix . In total, 2 apps allowed users to add random sound effects to the sounds . myNoise had an option to mix sound available only on iPhone.
Overall, 5 apps allowed to rate or mark the favorite sounds and store them in the favorite folder. Of the 5 apps, 4 apps allowed the user to create a personalized sound plan and organize the sounds according to sound type, for example, soothing, interesting, or background or according to situations when a particular sounds are preferred .
Overall, 12 apps had a feature to play sound in the background while using other apps .
Tinnitus Balance app used sound in the context of specific management program .
Meditation and Mindfulness
A total of 5 apps featured meditation and mindfulness , with all 5 featuring guided meditation and 2 using imagery . In 2 apps, meditation and mindfulness was the main focus of the app , whereas, in 3 apps, it was one of the features alongside other components.
Relaxation Exercises
Elements of Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Three Strategies Optimum Results
Signia hearing aids offer three different strategies against tinnitus.
Static noise tinnitus therapy and ocean wave tinnitus therapy cover up the disturbing tinnitus sounds with individually tuned therapy signals which divert attention away from the tinnitus and thereby reduce its impact. As a result, you can relax and concentrate on what you want to hear.
Signia hearing aids are the only ones with in-built Notch Therapy, which is proven to reduce the annoyance of tonal tinnitus and may even make it disappear completely.*
Static noise tinnitus therapy signals
Soft and gentle sounds that take away the annoyance of tinnitus
Signia hearing aids feature a tinnitus noiser function that generates additional sound in the form of a soft therapy signal. This effectively distracts you from the tinnitus, helping you to relax and enjoy life. In addition to a range of preset signals, the therapy signals can be customized to your specific needs.
Static noise therapy signals use a form of sound that mixes in with the tinnitus sounds and distracts from it. Signia hearing aids offer five different types of signal so that your Hearing Care Professional can help you choose the most comfortable solution for you.
Ocean wave tinnitus therapy signals
What could be more relaxing than the sound of a seashore?
Your Hearing Care Professional can help you choose from four different signals to find the one that is most relaxing and comfortable for you.
Worlds first: Tinnitus Notch Therapy
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Tinnitus Aid: Help Ear Ringing
Tinnitus Aid is a free version of Tinnitus HQ.
This tinnitus sounds app houses a large variety of high quality nature sounds that have been recorded at various real locations around the world.
It has been built on the conclusion of this study that tinnitus can be managed âby listening to sounds that have been filtered to remove your specific tinnitus frequenciesâ.
The free app also allows you to sample their bandstop and bandpass filters to help you identify your specific tinnitus frequency and customise your own sound mask.
They pride themselves on their high-definition images captured from around the globe.
A great feature that this app has is the functionality to continue running in the background while other apps are open or when the device is locked. This is not always the case with some tinnitus apps that are less technically developed.
Oto A Great New Tinnitus App
Science-based
Oto is a science-based therapy programme thats available on Android and iOS devices that claims to keep tinnitus treatment simple. It offers an extensive sound therapy library plus notch therapy, the ability to tailor sounds to the pitch of your tinnitus, providing even more effective masking.
Range of cognitive behavioural therapy
Oto provides a range of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy exercises to train your brain to respond differently to the sound it perceives. This means that, over time, youll hear your tinnitus less and less, with the goal of habituation the point at which you no longer notice it at all.
Sleep relaxation and sleep features
Oto also offers relaxation and sleep features, and, because its structured as a journey, it gives you a sense of control over your condition when many sufferers often report feeling a sense of hopelessness. Oto enables you to set yourself goals and track changes in your tinnitus.
Designed by doctors and tinnitus experts
Oto has been designed by doctors and tinnitus experts who have worked with people with the condition for years. You can sign up for a free trial, so theres nothing to lose.
We can help
Wed love to hear about your experiences with Oto and other tinnitus treatment apps. And, remember, at The Hearing Clinic, we have many years experience in tinnitus management.
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Best Hearing Aid Apps For Tinnitus
As some of you may know, tinnitus is ringing, buzzing, hissing, or clicking sounds within the ear. This condition can be caused by numerous factors, but generally is a symptom of a deeper neurological issue happening within the brain. While there is no definitive cure for tinnitus, there are various options to help alleviate the ringing noise such as light therapy, sound therapy, and hearing aids. Hearing aids have actually been shown to help patients suffering from tinnitus. Not only do hearing aids provide tinnitus assistance through various applications, they also provide relief through amplification of sound. This helps in aiding the neurological issue that could be causing your tinnitus.
Flexible Solutions For Relief & A Better Life
There are many tinnitus treatments. The most common include sound therapy, sound enhancement and sound enrichment.
Phonak Product Portfolio
Phonak product portfolio enables you and your hearing professional to build a plan around a sound therapy that matches your unique needs. This is essential to manage tinnitus effectively.
Although there are stigmas around hearing aids, technology has come a long way. From teens who do seemingly everything with earbuds in, to traffic laws which require drivers to wear headsets when talking on the phone in-ear audio technology has never been more prevalent.
Noise generation is an important key – it balances out the ringing in your ears. And fortunately, thanks to modern technology, you can now collect, keep and customize an entire library of sounds, sound effects, and music.
Every Phonak digital hearing aid provides amplification, and includes a noise generator making them a combination device. Most devices include wireless functionality which also enables the option of sound therapy to be streamed from a Bluetooth device.
Phonak Lyric hearing aid is unique in that it is worn 24 hours a day, thus also providing continuous relief even while you sleep.3 Lyric hearing aid works by providing consistent amplification of sounds day and night so the ears always have additional sounds to focus on making the sound of your tinnitus less noticeable.
Only you and your hearing care professional can decide.
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How Much Can Hearing Aids For Tinnitus Cost
All hearing aids, including those that provide tinnitus relief, can be expensive. Unless you have an insurance policy that specifically covers hearing aids, they may not be covered by your provider.
The hearing aids on this list are all priced as a pair. Weve indicated cost as follows:
- $ = $3,000$5,000
- $$ = over $5,000
These costs may vary by provider. In some instances, you may be able to pay for your hearing aids over time. You may also be able to pay for hearing aids with funds from a health savings account or flexible savings account .
Important Factors When Choosing An App
Ease of use , followed by trustworthy source , reviews , and cost were most commonly listed as important factors when choosing an app. Additional factors included recommendation by a medical professional , recommendation by another person with tinnitus , and recommendation by friend or family , followed by name of an app .
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How We Chose Hearing Aids For Tinnitus
- Customer feedback and brand reputation. The hearing aids on this list come from established, trusted hearing aid manufacturers that get good online reviews for customer service and quality.
- FDA registration. Each hearing aid is registered with the Food and Drug Administration as a medical device.
- Technology. They all utilize a specific and targeted strategy for providing tinnitus relief.
- Battery use. We included devices that are rechargeable as well as those that use disposable batteries.
- Hearing aid types. They come in a variety of styles, including behind-the-ear and in-the-ear.
Tinnitus Apps Whats Out There
Apps are generally much easier to access and use, as well as often being significantly cheaper than buying products, which is why they are so popular tinnitus maskers are no exception. With lots of free tinnitus apps around, there is little harm in trying them to see if they help alleviate your tinnitus. However, for those who suffer from more than just occasional slight discomfort, it is important not to solely rely on tinnitus apps or any tinnitus technology for that matter. It is advisable to use these apps along with advice from a tinnitus professional. When used together, they can be a great way of monitoring your tinnitus, as well as easily adjusting your preferences, needs and requirement with your therapy.
There are several hearing aid manufacturers that have developed tinnitus apps they are a good source of information, advice and knowledge on how best to help with your tinnitus. These include the GN Resound Relief app, the Oticon Tinnitus Sound app, the Phonak Balance app and the Starkey Relax app. These apps include a disclaimer stressing the importance of using the app under the guidance of a tinnitus professional. All these apps are free of charge, free of adverts and available on both iOS and Android.
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Best Tinnitus Apps For White Noise
TINNITUS THERAPY LITE BY SOUND OASISBest for: Simple and straight-forward app. Great for those new to sound generators
Advert-free app contains a small but efficient sample of tinnitus relief sounds. App also includes a fully functional playback timer, and soft off volume management.
RELAX NOISE 3 BY GN RESOUNDBest for:Pink and red noise generator.
Advert-free app focuses features 3 quality noise sounds: white, pink and red noise. It has a programmable timer and dimmable audio. App can be used as tinnitus maskers, mediation tools or as a sleeping aid.
WHITE NOISE LITE BY TMSOFTBest for: Heavily marketed app featured on Dr. Oz Show, Late Night Show and the Today Show.
Huge Help For Tinnitus Distress
First off, if youre struggling with tinnitus distress, look up Dr. Bruce Hubbard and CBT for tinnitus.Ive been going through the process and have found this app to be a literal life saver at times I use it in bed at night and/or if Im having a bad setback. Crickets or cicadas are a go-to, usually with strings or something laid over top to break it up a bit.Thank you developers for this help that youve given me , I am genuinely so appreciative of your work. I dont know if this is still actively being worked on, but Id love to see even more sounds made available. God bless.
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What If The Sound Doesn’t Stop After Treatment
If you’re still experiencing the pulsating sound after treatment of the root cause, or if the doctor can’t find the cause, there are other things you can do to get relief.
White noise machines will help you sleep at night, or you can download a white noise/tinnitus app. You can also try Wearable Sound Generators, which you wear like a hearing aid and listen to low-level background noise. If you’re already wearing a hearing aid, there are tinnitus apps that will connect to your hearing aid to give continuous relief.
Shame On Resound For Charging $70/year
Youre already making money hand over fist from people who are suffering with profound hearing loss and severe tinnitus with your way over-priced hearing aids. But now this?? Really? Tinnitus can drive some people to suicide, you do know that right? Shame, shame, shame on you for capitalizing even more on peoples suffering. Its actually sickening. Whomever came up with the idea for ReSound to charge $6.99/month or $70/year for an app that *may* give them relief from this maddening symptom of hearing loss is pure evil. I paid $4,000 out of pocket for your hearing aids, that drive me insane, that give me reverb every time I try and use a phone and that came with the worst app Ive ever seen. I wish I had another choice or had known how rotten your company is, but I did not. After ten days of nonstop tinnitus to the point I am losing my mind, losing sleep and cannot concentrate on anything, I came here looking for relief to go with my $4k deluxe air pods only to find youll charge me $70/year for something that might not even help. Nice. Real nice. All I do know is that I will never purchase any of your products ever again and since this was my first set of HAs, and Im quite young, theres a good chance I will be needing new ones some day. I will bring your companys ridiculous charges for this app up with my audiologist, my doctor and anyone else who will listen. Pun intended. Shame on you ReSound!!!
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How To Choose The Best Tinnitus App
There are a large number of tinnitus apps to choose from.
To find out what works for you, it is best to gradually work your way through what is available.
We are all unique and what might work for one person might not work for you.
You should start by identifying what aspect of your tinnitus you would most like to get help for. This will help you to filter the apps that don’t work for you.
Many apps are still in development so have patience and try to use it for a little bit of time each day to see how it might help you.
Try to approach the apps with an open mind but donât overwhelm yourself with too many at once. Trial them one by one and make a note of the different features that you dislike and enjoy.
You can also write down anything that you learnt that will benefit you going forward. This way you will build a bank of techniques you can turn to when you most need them.