Tympanic Resonance Hypothesis

[Nobody19]

I'm a bit surprised that there hasn't been any discussion about this topic. The author of this paper invented the Tympanic patching technique, where a membrane is placed on the Tensor Tympani to treat various conditions, like Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS).

Those of you who are more knowledgeable about this than me, what do you think about this paper/hypothesis?

Seemingly unrelated symptoms in the head and neck region are eliminated when a patch is applied on specific locations on the Tympanic Membrane. Clinically, two distinct patient populations can be distinguished; cervical and masticatory muscle tensions are involved, and mental moods of anxiety or need. Clinical observations lead to the hypothesis of a "Tympanic Resonance Regulating System." Its controller, the Trigeminocervical complex, integrates external auditory, somatosensory, and central impulses. It modulates auditory attention, and directs it toward unpredictable external or expected domestic and internal sounds: peripherally by shifting the resonance frequencies of the Tympanic Membrane; centrally by influencing the throughput of auditory information to the neural attention networks that toggle between scanning and focusing; and thus altering the perception of auditory information. The hypothesis leads to the assumption that the Trigeminocervical complex is composed of a dorsal component, and a ventral one which may overlap with the concept of "Trigeminovagal complex." "Tympanic Dissonance" results in a host of local and distant symptoms, most of which can be attributed to activation of the Trigeminocervical complex. Diagnostic and therapeutic measures for this "Tympanic Dissonance Syndrome" are suggested.

Full text:
Tympanic Resonance Hypothesis

This is a study (by the same author) on tympanic patching: The effect of paper patching on aural fullness of unknown aetiology.

Objective: To assess the effect of paper patching on aural fullness.

Methodology: We conducted a prospective, single-blind, placebo-controlled study using urn randomization. Twenty-two patients presenting with the complaint of aural fullness, without middle-ear pathology, were recruited from a secondary referral centre. The tested intervention was the application of paper patches on specified areas of the tympanic membrane. The main outcome measure was the change in subjective symptoms of average aural fullness and peak aural fullness, based on differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements on a scale from 0 to 10.

Results: Paper patching led to significant improvement in subjective symptom scores. In the treatment group, the change in average aural fullness was -2.00 (SD 2.00, p = 0.006), and the change in peak fullness was -1.77 (SD 2.49, p = 0.01). In the placebo group, these values were -0.13 (SD 1.55, p = 0.72) and +0.33 (SD 1.10, p = 0.37), respectively. No major adverse effects were reported.

Conclusion: After one week of treatment, paper patching showed a beneficial effect on aural fullness of vague or unknown aetiology.

Full text:
The effect of paper patching on aural fullness of unknown aetiology

This looks really promising for people with TTTS, but so far I've only found one person who claims to have benefitted from this therapy.

 

[TomBradyGOAT]

Because it is hard to find a place to do it. The Brai3n clinic or whatever they are called in Germany does it. I've read mixed results. Dr. Santos is probably one of the most respected out of Boston and he would still rather laser the muscles. Laser is definitely much more accurate/better than knife.