DEVICE FOR TREATING A TINNITUS AFFLICTION

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for treating a tinnitus affliction and/or reducing stress, comprising an upper bracket (1), a lower bracket (2) and a pressure point body (3), wherein the upper and lower brackets are connected to each other by means of a plug-in connection (4).

Claims

1. A device for treating a tinnitus affliction and/or reducing stress, comprising an upper bracket, a lower bracket and a pressure point body, characterized in that the upper and lower brackets are connected to each other by means of a plug connection, wherein the lower bracket has a horizontal cut in which the pressure point body is attached, and wherein the pressure point body exerts pressure on the outer ear and changes the position of the outer ear.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plug connection is a splint connection.

3. (canceled)

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure point body is secured in the horizontal cut.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure point body is freely movable along the horizontal cut.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper bracket has a recess.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that one or two inlays are attached in the recess.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower bracket has a jacket.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the jacket consists of a soft material.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower bracket is movable.

11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the jacket consists of rubber.

12. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows the device in the form of a bracket consisting of a lower and upper bracket, and a pressure point body.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a side and front view of the device consisting of a lower and upper bracket, and a pressure point body.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a side and front view of the upper bracket with inlays.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the opened device.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a side and front view of pressure point bodies of different designs.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows the upper bracket of the device.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows different inlays.

[0036] FIG. 8 shows the lower bracket with slot.

[0037] FIG. 9 shows pressure point bodies of different designs.

[0038] FIG. 10 shows a jacket for the lower part of the lower bracket.

[0039] FIG. 11 shows the trend analysis of the stress level of 36 users.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0040] The effects of tinnitus strongly depend on the subjective perception and assessment of ear noises. These ear noises can occur on one side or on both sides.

[0041] Tinnitus aurium means the ringing of the ears. Medically, tinnitus is defined as an acoustic perception that arises without a corresponding acoustic stimulus from outside the body and does not contain any information.

[0042] In principle, two forms are distinguished. In objective tinnitus, there is an intrinsic sound source in the ear or near the ear, the sound emissions of which are perceived. This is to say, the noises often emanating from the blood vessels or the muscle actually exist and thus others can hear them also, albeit usually only with the stethoscope or other medical devices.

[0043] However, subjective tinnitus is much more common. In this case, persons affected perceive sounds and noises which cannot be attributed to a physical source of sound and therefore cannot be heard by other people. However, this in no way means that the patients only imagine the buzzing, humming, whistling, ringing, rustling or knocking. Rather, subjective tinnitus is due to erroneous information formation or processing in the auditory system, extending from the ear through the auditory nerve to the auditory centers in the brain.

[0044] In the case of many persons affected, however, it cannot be determined definitely what the ear noises are attributed to. This is referred to as idiopathic tinnitus.

[0045] Surprisingly, it has now been found that by changing the position of the outer ear relative to the remaining ear, the sound is changed, that is to say the sound is refracted in comparison to the normal incidence. This results in a different point of impact at the tympanic membrane. As a result, the hammer (grip) of the first auditory bone is moved differently and transmits changed pressure signals to the next auditory bone or then further to the cochlea. In the cochlea, the sensory hairs stored in a liquid are set in motion differently. This leads to a changed conversion of the electrical signals into the brain and to a change of the synapses in terms of learning-the previous sounds are no longer heard and thus forgotten in the long term.

[0046] As a result of changes in the angle of incidence of sound, the ear noises (tinnitus) perceived as disturbing are no longer perceived, since the sound impinges on other points of impact on the tympanic membrane.

[0047] Different refractions (change of path length) result in sound having different frequencies. Frequency change by distance change between observer (tympanic membrane) and sound source (Doppler effect). The sound path in the ear between the outer ear and the tympanic membrane changes. Therefore, the previous old frequencies, which were perceived as disturbing, are no longer perceived since they have changed in frequency and are no longer perceived in the brain. This will mainly occur at high frequencies.

[0048] With the device according to the invention, the angle of incidence of sound is changed in such a way that the persons affected no longer hear the previously learned disturbing sounds. The device according to the invention therefore comprises a bracket with a pressure point body which is dimensioned in such a way that it can be secured to the auricle, wherein the position of the auricle is changed by the pressure point body. By changing the position of the outer ear through this pressure point body, the angle of incidence of sound into the ear is changed, as a result of which the patients will no longer hear the previous sounds and even forget to hear them long-term.

[0049] In particular, it is advantageous to exert pressure to the outer ear by the pressure point body. This pressure can lead to the position of the outer ear being changed in such a way that the angle of incidence of the sound is likewise changed and thus disturbing tinnitus sounds are no longer heard. The perception of noises, which are not caused by the acoustic signals from the environment, is reduced or entirely eliminated with the device according to the invention.

[0050] The pressure point body is attached on the device according to the invention in an individually changeable manner, which device can be secured to or behind the auricle. The pressure point body can have different shapes and sizes. Exemplary pressure point bodies are depicted in FIG. 9.

[0051] An embodiment according to the invention is a bracket consisting of an upper and a lower bracket part, which are connected to each other by means of a plug-in connection and can be opened, and which can be worn behind the ear.

[0052] The pressure point body can be produced from different materials. In principle, any material can be used which is suitable to form a corresponding shaped body and is comfortable to wear. For example, the pressure point body can be made of plastic, fabric, felt, foam, gel, rubber, elastic adhesive strips or similar materials. The pressure point body can be made of a foamed material, an elastic deformable material, or a plastic material, for example polypropylene.

[0053] The upper and the lower bracket may be made of stable materials.

[0054] Particularly suitable are, for example, stainless steel, titanium, spring steel, other metals and metallic alloys, plastics, and the like.

[0055] In order to increase the wearing comfort for the patients, inlays can be introduced into the upper bracket (FIG. 3), for example. These inlays consist of a suitable material such as for example silicones, rubber, plastic, fabric, felt, foam, gel, rubber or similar materials.

[0056] The lower bracket may be partially jacketed. Such a jacket (8) also serves for wearing comfort. The jacket can in turn be made from a suitable material, in particular, for example, rubber.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0057] The following embodiments illustrate the present invention without limiting it in its scope.

[0058] One embodiment is depicted in FIG. 1. It consists of an upper bracket (1) and a lower bracket (2), which are flexibly connected to each other by means of a plug-in connection (4). A pressure point body (3) is secured on the lower bracket (2). The pressure point body is movably mounted on the lower bracket. That is to say, the pressure point body can be displaced along the upper part of the lower bracket (2). Inlays are optionally attached to the upper bracket (1). The lower bracket is jacketed in the lower part.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of the device in closed form. FIG. 4 shows a schematic depiction of the device in open form which facilitates the attachment of the device behind the ear.

[0060] In a first application observation with 36 users who used the bracket according to the invention for at least 6 weeks, it was analyzed how the stress level of the users had changed. Here, the users reported daily their subjectively perceived stress on a scale of 0 to 10. A linear trend analysis was calculated for each individual user.

[0061] For 19 of the 36 users (52.7%), the stress level has been reduced in a statistically significant manner while using the bracket according to the invention (see FIG. 11).