University of Minnesota Tinnitus Research with Acoustic and Body Stimulation

[TheDanishGirl]

-7-10 db sound amazing! Is 6 db not double the volume? that would mean your T is more then 50% reduced volume wise.

Thanks to updating us. Really rooting for you!

 

[kelpiemsp]

@kelpiemsp,
was it your last session in this year?

I have 7 to 11 more biweekly sessions.

 

[WaqasVic]

Hi all just an update. I received the -15 timing, and I have to say I had the quietest weekend since this spike started. I even took a nap without masking. Anyways, it's slowly coming back, but it's not as loud as before. Plus I have done a few things that should have aggravated it (long bike ride, mowed lawn, saw a concert) This reduction has been 7-10 dB. I am very much looking forward to the next study where I can wear it every day. It might just be my evening peak (it tends to be a bit louder at night) I had my doubts immediately after the trial, but in my experience this plasticity takes time. For what its worth I experienced a couple firsts (since my new spike started) this weekend: sleep without masking, sleep with my ear against a pillow, and go like 3 hours with silence. That was pleasant.

This is great

 

[parsky]

Hi all just an update. I received the -15 timing, and I have to say I had the quietest weekend since this spike started. I even took a nap without masking. Anyways, it's slowly coming back, but it's not as loud as before. Plus I have done a few things that should have aggravated it (long bike ride, mowed lawn, saw a concert) This reduction has been 7-10 dB. I am very much looking forward to the next study where I can wear it every day. It might just be my evening peak (it tends to be a bit louder at night) I had my doubts immediately after the trial, but in my experience this plasticity takes time. For what its worth I experienced a couple firsts (since my new spike started) this weekend: sleep without masking, sleep with my ear against a pillow, and go like 3 hours with silence. That was pleasant.

Great news. So 7-10db would imply that it's about half as loud as pretreatment. Is that about what you estimate?

 

[valeri]

Hi all just an update. I received the -15 timing, and I have to say I had the quietest weekend since this spike started. I even took a nap without masking. Anyways, it's slowly coming back, but it's not as loud as before. Plus I have done a few things that should have aggravated it (long bike ride, mowed lawn, saw a concert) This reduction has been 7-10 dB. I am very much looking forward to the next study where I can wear it every day. It might just be my evening peak (it tends to be a bit louder at night) I had my doubts immediately after the trial, but in my experience this plasticity takes time. For what its worth I experienced a couple firsts (since my new spike started) this weekend: sleep without masking, sleep with my ear against a pillow, and go like 3 hours with silence. That was pleasant.

Personally I think complete cure is far fetched but if there is a treatment in a form of something that will help reduce volume at least on most horrible days/spikes then I say bring it on!

Anything, anything that can reduce the volume would be great!

 

[Manny]

@kelpiemsp I think it is safe to say that every one of us here is rooting for you and for this trial and treatment. I have a question. Do you know the benefit status of other trial participants? Are they experiencing T reductions as are you?

 

[Silvio Sabo]

@kelpiemsp I think it is safe to say that every one of us here is rooting for you and for this trial and treatment. I have a question. Do you know the benefit status of other trial participants? Are they experiencing T reductions as are you?

I would most definitely believe not. Getting that kind of info would disqualify you from a trial. The whole point of trials is to keep this kind of info from participants. In the case of double blind trials the people administering a drug or treatment are also in the dark as to weather or not a patient is getting the real thing as well as any interim results.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Is the T still lower @kelpiemsp ?

 

[kelpiemsp]

I would most definitely believe not. Getting that kind of info would disqualify you from a trial. The whole point of trials is to keep this kind of info from participants. In the case of double blind trials the people administering a drug or treatment are also in the dark as to weather or not a patient is getting the real thing as well as any interim results.

A trial is a big thing. I am told the settings and timings now. The double-blind placebo-controlled part is next. Right now they are very focused on getting my feedback. We are helping build the hypothesis. In several months they will run the actual experiment part.

In order to catch me up with the other participants, I had another session yesterday. It was again the same timing as last time (-15ms). What was interesting is people told me I looked like crap afterward, but alas, my T stayed reduced significantly and I had the same effect again. So far at -15ms my T seemed to stay down the whole week, more or less. A few more noisy days but still about the same effect.

 

[Manny]

What was interesting is people told me I looked like crap afterward

Haha what exactly is that supposed to mean? Like the treatment made you weak or something?

 

[Manny]

We are helping build the hypothesis.

If this thing ends up actually working y'all can feel very good you literally helped build a lifesaving device.

 

[kelpiemsp]

Haha what exactly is that supposed to mean? Like the treatment made you weak or something?

I was just feeling/acting slow. Hard to explain. Also sitting in a sound proof booth for two hours listening to your T can do a number on your mental state lol.

 

[Mathew Gould]

A trial is a big thing. I am told the settings and timings now. The double-blind placebo-controlled part is next. Right now they are very focused on getting my feedback. We are helping build the hypothesis. In several months they will run the actual experiment part.

In order to catch me up with the other participants, I had another session yesterday. It was again the same timing as last time (-15ms). What was interesting is people told me I looked like crap afterward, but alas, my T stayed reduced significantly and I had the same effect again. So far at -15ms my T seemed to stay down the whole week, more or less. A few more noisy days but still about the same effect.

Isn't the placebo almost non-existent, meaning you can literally hear the tinnitus go down so it must be working, right?

 

[Benoves]

A trial is a big thing. I am told the settings and timings now. The double-blind placebo-controlled part is next. Right now they are very focused on getting my feedback. We are helping build the hypothesis. In several months they will run the actual experiment part.

In order to catch me up with the other participants, I had another session yesterday. It was again the same timing as last time (-15ms). What was interesting is people told me I looked like crap afterward, but alas, my T stayed reduced significantly and I had the same effect again. So far at -15ms my T seemed to stay down the whole week, more or less. A few more noisy days but still about the same effect.

I thought your sessions were every other week because of the washout? It's great to hear that it has had the same effect on your tinnitus. I hope you enjoy the quiet times. Do you know when you get the EEG based timing? When are the other sessions? Thank you.

 

[xCyborg]

but alas, my T stayed reduced significantly and I had the same effect again.

What you mean "alas it stayed reduced"?
Is that a bad or a good thing?
And why was it driving you crazy in that sound proof booth? has the effect completely worn off by then?

 

[Deamon22]

Awesome @kelpiemsp.

 

[kelpiemsp]

What you mean "alas it stayed reduced"?
Is that a bad or a good thing?
And why was it driving you crazy in that sound proof booth? has the effect completely worn off by then?

My T was around 80-85 dB to mask. So dropping it by ~10 dB while huge to me, still makes it audible, especially with ear plugs on in the booth. Alas is a good thing in this context.

 

[xCyborg]

So when is the double-blind placebo-controlled part starting?
That means you can stop receiving the active signal right? Even if they give you the device to take home.
And by "actual experiment" do you mean like phase 3?

I really wish to hear more about those times and settings but I can't find any other links to this, so I have to bother you, sorry.

 

[xCyborg]

My T was around 80-85 dB to mask. So dropping it by ~10 dB while huge to me, still makes it audible, especially with ear plugs on in the booth. Alas is a good thing in this context.

Can you still hear in an ambient sound room (open windows /distant chatter) before and after.

 

[kelpiemsp]

I thought your sessions were every other week because of the washout? It's great to hear that it has had the same effect on your tinnitus. I hope you enjoy the quiet times. Do you know when you get the EEG based timing? When are the other sessions? Thank you.

They were supposed to be but they want everyone to start the actual testing part at the same time. So I had a catch up test. Thanks! The EEG one is in a few sessions.

 

[kelpiemsp]

Isn't the placebo almost non-existent, meaning you can literally hear the tinnitus go down so it must be working, right?

No, it's not an immediate effect atleast for me. And the placebo is based on the timings, which can vary by milliseconds. We can't discern that.

 

[kelpiemsp]

Can you still hear in an ambient sound room (open windows /distant chatter) before and after.

It takes about 70 dB to mask at the moment.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

It takes about 70 dB to mask at the moment.

Wow, from 85 db to 70 db to mask.....That's some improvement!

Thanks again for updating us so often.

 

[threefirefour]

Wow, from 85 db to 70 db to mask.....That's some improvement!

Thanks again for updating us so often.

That's huge improvement. If you have average tinnitus (Matching level of 20dB, MML of 35dB), then that's basically a complete elimination.

 

[Manny]

That's huge improvement. If you have average tinnitus (Matching level of 20dB, MML of 35dB), then that's basically a complete elimination.

What does MML stand for?

 

[threefirefour]

What does MML stand for?

Minimum masking level, or the dB something similar-sounding to your tinnitus has to be at lowest to completely cover up the tinnitus. My rule of thumb is it's usually about 15dB louder than minimum matching level.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Minimum masking level, or the dB something similar-sounding to your tinnitus has to be at lowest to completely cover up the tinnitus. My rule of thumb is it's usually about 15dB louder than minimum matching level.

By average T do you mean mild T?? If a T can be masked by 35 db then it must be quite low.

 

[Manny]

Minimum masking level, or the dB something similar-sounding to your tinnitus has to be at lowest to completely cover up the tinnitus. My rule of thumb is it's usually about 15dB louder than minimum matching level.

Thanks.

 

[threefirefour]

By average T do you mean mild T?? If a T can be masked by 35 db then it must be quite low.

Yeah the average sufferer has mild tinnitus.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Yeah the average sufferer has mild tinnitus.

That's true. But I don't think any of us long time posters on this board are in the average group, sadly.