Unusual devices advocated for tinnitus. "caveat emptor"
There are many strange devices that have been offered for tinnitus. One of the most recent is the Neuromonics device. It is presently being sold in the US, through select audiologists, for about $5000. This device resembles a "Ipod" player, and even comes with premium headphones ! Unfortunately, you can't use the device to play anything other than preprogrammed cartridges, that we are told, sound somewhat like "new age" music.
It is too soon to say whether or not this device is effective. In our conversations with patients who use this device, they generally think (after many months of listening and counseling visits to the dispensing audiologist) that it is slightly helpful.
The general idea that listening to something that gives you pleasure and sounds somewhat like your tinnitus may "desensitize" you to your tinnitus, seems reasonable to us. On the other hand, we are not sure why one should have to pay $5000 for an Ipod with a single song. It would seem to us that given that this approach is useful, a do-it-yourself strategy might work equally well for a small fraction of the cost. What you would need to do here is to have an audiologist do "tinnitus matching", to find out what you are trying to duplicate, and also have someone look at the frequency content of music that you want to listen to 24/7, to make sure that it overlaps with your tinnitus.
In general, whether you are considering buying a "Neuromonics" device, a magnetic or electrical device or ultrasound generators, we advise extreme caution in situations where someone suggests to you that an extremely expensive device, with an unclear principle of action, may cure your tinnitus. There is a very long history of placebos for subjective complaints such as dizziness and tinnitus. As the Romans said, "caveat emptor" (buyer beware!).
I found this on the dizziness and balance website. All I have really seen on the subject.
