WO2008092663A1 - Appareil auditif destiné, en particulier, au traitement des acouphènes, utilisation et procédé associé - Google Patents

Appareil auditif destiné, en particulier, au traitement des acouphènes, utilisation et procédé associé Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008092663A1
WO2008092663A1 PCT/EP2008/000724 EP2008000724W WO2008092663A1 WO 2008092663 A1 WO2008092663 A1 WO 2008092663A1 EP 2008000724 W EP2008000724 W EP 2008000724W WO 2008092663 A1 WO2008092663 A1 WO 2008092663A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
frequency
khz
hearing aid
frequencies
tinnitus
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2008/000724
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Axel Wetter
Original Assignee
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg filed Critical Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Publication of WO2008092663A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008092663A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
    • A61B5/12—Audiometering
    • A61B5/121—Audiometering evaluating hearing capacity
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/35—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using translation techniques
    • H04R25/353—Frequency, e.g. frequency shift or compression
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/75—Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a use of a hearing aid for the treatment of tinnitus, a hearing aid for the frequency-selective amplification of acoustic signals and a method for harmonizing the hearing curve of an individual with a frequency-specific hearing loss.
  • Tinnitus Retraining Therapy uses noise generators (called noise generators), which do not attempt to mask tinnitus, but are set at levels below the tinnitus level. The brain should unconsciously adapt to this new "healthy" sound and thus learn to ignore the tinnitus.
  • TRT Another component of the TRT is the Counseling: In addition to an accurate explanation of the cause, the patient is informed about the development of tinnitus and assured him that it is actually a harmless "symptom". In addition, through the cooperation of a psychologist, relaxation techniques are learned in order to make tinnitus ultimately a minor matter and to enable a habituation.
  • the previously published studies on TRT are often inadequately methodologically and have only a low value scientifically, so that there is no clear proof of efficacy for the TRT so far. Pharmacologically, successes with benzodiazepines were achieved. Due to their high dependence potential, however, they are not suitable for long-term therapy. Also, successes with antidepressants (amitriptyline) could be achieved.
  • the present invention is therefore based on the object to provide an effective means for the treatment of tinnitus.
  • treatment of tinnitus both a treatment of the symptoms of tinnitus, ie a reduction in tinnitus during the treatment period, as well as a therapeutic treatment, which aims at a long-term reduction of tinnitus, preferably a permanent healing of the patient
  • tinnitus treatment is also a symptomatic, ie non-therapeutic treatment that leads to a reduction of tinnitus for a limited time after treatment.
  • this term also includes a therapeutic treatment whose therapeutic effect decreases over time.
  • Treatment of tinnitus in the sense of the present invention does not mean overlaying the tinnitus sound with extraneous noises, as occurs, for example, when using noisers or maskers.
  • a use of a hearing aid for the symptomatic treatment of tinnitus is provided.
  • a use of a hearing aid for the therapeutic treatment of tinnitus is provided.
  • One aspect of the present invention is based, in particular, on the fact that tinnitus, initially caused by hair cell damage in the cochlea, leads to a disturbance of the excitation pattern in higher parts of the auditory pathway.
  • the resulting "silence" in the hair cells responsible for a certain frequency leads to a centrally controlled counterregulation.
  • This counterregulation also explains that the tinnitus tone is very often in the frequency range of greatest hearing loss. Therefore, tinnitus in the narrower sense is a faulty stimulus processing in the brain. It can be seen that there is a close relationship between the frequency and the subjective volume of tinnitus on the one hand and the audiometrically measurable hearing loss on the other hand.
  • tinnitus is mainly treated with so-called tinnitus maskers, which are intended to cover the tinnitus from the outside, or so-called noise (noise generators), which are intended to cause a distraction from tinnitus.
  • tinnitus maskers which are intended to cover the tinnitus from the outside
  • noise noise generators
  • a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a use of a hearing aid for the treatment of tinnitus, wherein the hearing aid for the frequency-selective amplification of acoustic signals, in particular with frequencies of at least 8 kHz, more preferably in the range of 8 to 12 kHz, 8 to 14 kHz or 8 to 16 kHz.
  • the invention is particularly suitable for those tinnitus sufferers who suffer from a tormenting everyday tinnitus, which can not be masked under normal everyday conditions and therefore is constantly audible. Due to the harmonization of the hearing curve generated by the hearing aid, especially in the high-frequency range, a down-regulation of the centrally produced tinnitus can be expected as a long-term effect, since due to the restored physiological stimulus pattern, no central counterregulation is necessary.
  • Frequency range from 500 to 3000 Hz is located.
  • the music extends for
  • the frequency-selective amplification of acoustic signals in the use of a hearing aid for the treatment of tinnitus in frequency intervals of 1 kHz or smaller, more preferably in frequency intervals of 500 Hz or less, more preferably 250 Hz or less, on preferably 50Hz or less, most preferably 20Hz or less.
  • the frequency intervals may be selected to be even smaller, in order to allow a better adaptation of the frequency-dependent gain curve of the hearing aid to the frequency-specific hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer.
  • a hearing aid for the frequency-selective amplification of acoustic signals, in particular with frequencies greater than 8 kHz provided, comprising
  • At least one recording microphone wherein the recording microphone is designed to record acoustic input signals, in particular at frequencies greater than 8 kHz
  • at least one gain element which is designed to amplify the recorded input signals, in particular with frequencies greater than 8 kHz and output amplified recorded input signals
  • (C) at least one sounder, which is designed to output acoustic output signals, in particular with frequencies greater than 8 kHz from the amplified, recorded input signals.
  • amplified, recorded input signals is understood according to the invention electrical output signals of the reinforcing element.
  • the hearing aid according to the invention has at least one preferably digital control with a reinforcing element, wherein the reinforcing element amplifies the recorded input signals, in particular with frequencies greater than 8 kHz.
  • the preferred hearing aid may be designed as a digital hearing aid that, for example, a construction comprising at least one recording microphone for generating analog electrical input signals from the recorded acoustic input signals, at least one analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog. electrical input signals of the recording microphone in digital input signals, at least one digital control, which is in signal communication with at least one gain element and a frequency-selective
  • Amplification of the digital input signals and the output of digital output signals is designed, at least one digital-to-analog converter for converting the digital Output signals in analog electrical output signals, and at least one sounder, which outputs acoustic output signals from the analog electrical output signals.
  • the frequency-selective amplification it is possible, for example, to use a particularly digital multi-channel system which divides the input signal into a plurality of frequency bands or intervals.
  • the digital control can then amplify the received frequencies according to the listening curve, i. the amplification factors in the individual frequency bands or intervals are set such that the hearing loss is at least reduced for a partial frequency range of the hearing loss frequency range and is preferably compensated.
  • a conventional hearing aid in particular a good speech intelligibility and a beautiful sound, can be omitted in the amplification of frequencies greater than 8 kHz, since these frequencies are not required for this purpose.
  • the preferred hearing aid according to the invention is not necessarily designed to compensate for hearing loss in the conventional sense, but rather to compensate (partially) the hearing loss for the treatment of tinnitus with natural frequencies greater than 8 kHz.
  • the main difference to conventional hearing aids is in particular in the amplification of acoustic signals with frequencies greater than 8 kHz, the amplification factors in frequency intervals individually adjustable, preferably digitally programmable.
  • the hearing aid may be of any type known in the art, be formed, for example, as a behind-the-ear, or in-ear solution.
  • the hearing aid according to the invention is designed for recording, frequency-selective amplification and output of acoustic signals with frequencies in the range from 8 to 12 kHz, more preferably in the range from 8 to 14 kHz and most preferably in the range from 8 to 16 kHz ,
  • the frequency-selective amplification is preferably carried out at frequency intervals of 1 kHz or smaller, more preferably 500 Hz or lower, more preferably 250 Hz or lower, more preferably 100 Hz or lower, more preferably 50 Hz or lower, most preferably 20 Hz or lower.
  • the amplification factor for each frequency interval is individually adjustable in order to compensate for the hearing loss as frequency accurate as possible or at least to be able to reduce.
  • the hearing aid according to the invention advantageously effects narrowband amplification of a frequency range with respect to the frequency-selective amplification of the hearing curve in order to compensate for a specific hearing loss which relates exclusively to a narrow frequency window.
  • the hearing aid according to the invention does not compensate for a flat drop of a hearing curve, for example in the high-frequency range of the human auditory range, but allows the compensation of narrow, Frequency-selective "dropouts" in the hearing of an otherwise normal hearing man. It is assumed that this will return to the brain the original physiological frequency pattern, which has been lost by the hair cell damage at the beginning of tinnitus.
  • This effect could be responsible for a mitigation of tinnitus, because the brain registers a physiological stimulus pattern again and can turn off the tinnitus generated as a compensation mechanism.
  • a fundamental difference to Noiser- or mask therapy is that noiser and masker feed an additional noise, which is above the threshold of hearing, while inventive frequency-selective hearing aids cause targeted stimulation of the damaged hair cells and raise the individual hearing curve and possibly even normalize.
  • the present invention also provides a use of a hearing aid for the treatment of tinnitus as defined above, wherein the hearing aid is a hearing aid as defined above and the treatment is a treatment as defined above.
  • the present invention further provides a method for harmonizing the hearing curve of an individual with a frequency-specific hearing loss comprising the steps of: (a) determining the auditory curve of the individual with extended radio frequency testing up to 16 kHz and determining the individual tinnitus frequency;
  • the term "individual” means any vertebrate, preferably mammals, more preferably humans.
  • overlap includes a partial overlap, a full overlap, and an overlap of the frequency ranges that cause the gain frequency range to be fully within the hearing loss frequency range.
  • the amplification frequency range and the hearing loss frequency range coincide completely.
  • noiseization of the hearing curve is understood according to the invention as bringing the hearing curve to a standard curve.
  • a standard curve is the hearing curve of a person without hearing loss.
  • the inventive method for harmonizing the hearing curve further comprises the step of frequency-selective amplification of acoustic signals, in particular with frequencies greater than 8 kHz, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 kHz, in the range of 8 to 14 kHz or in the range of 8 to 16 kHz.
  • the frequency-specific hearing loss is caused by a loss of the hair cells in the inner ear, particularly preferably the individual has a tinnitus.
  • a further embodiment of the present invention therefore relates to providing a hearing device according to the invention as defined above in the method according to the invention for harmonizing the hearing curve as defined above.
  • the present invention thus also encompasses a method for reducing tinnitus in an individual, in particular by the use of a hearing aid, wherein the amplified frequencies substantially correspond to the frequencies of tinnitus.
  • Fig. 1 Hearing curve of a healthy man without tinnitus (left ear).
  • Fig. 2 auditory curve of a human with tinnitus with a tinnitus tone at 13000 heart (left ear).
  • FIG. 3 shows a gain-selective enhancement oriented on the auditory curve of the individual which is complementary to the curve of the tinnitus sufferer.
  • the hatched area symbolizes the increase in the hearing curve in the frequency range greater than 8 kHz caused by a preferred hearing aid according to the invention. This should cause a disappearance of tinnitus in a normal noisy environment and a long-term restructuring of the auditory cortex.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Surgery (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne une utilisation d'un appareil auditif destiné au traitement des acouphènes, un appareil auditif permettant l'amplification sélective en fréquence de signaux acoustiques et un procédé d'harmonisation de la courbe auditive d'un individu souffrant d'une perte auditive spécifique en fréquence.
PCT/EP2008/000724 2007-01-31 2008-01-30 Appareil auditif destiné, en particulier, au traitement des acouphènes, utilisation et procédé associé WO2008092663A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102007004880 2007-01-31
DE102007004880.9 2007-01-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008092663A1 true WO2008092663A1 (fr) 2008-08-07

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PCT/EP2008/000724 WO2008092663A1 (fr) 2007-01-31 2008-01-30 Appareil auditif destiné, en particulier, au traitement des acouphènes, utilisation et procédé associé

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WO (1) WO2008092663A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9744330B2 (en) 2009-10-09 2017-08-29 Auckland Uniservices Limited Tinnitus treatment system and method
FR3071376A1 (fr) * 2017-09-20 2019-03-22 Xavier Arthur Carriou Procede pour ameliorer le reglage des aides auditives pour les patients atteints d' acouphene

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6047074A (en) * 1996-07-09 2000-04-04 Zoels; Fred Programmable hearing aid operable in a mode for tinnitus therapy
WO2000056120A1 (fr) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-21 Curtin University Of Technology Dispositif et methode de traitement de l'acouphene
US20040047483A1 (en) * 2002-09-10 2004-03-11 Natan Bauman Hearing aid
WO2005015952A1 (fr) * 2003-08-11 2005-02-17 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Procede d'augmentation du son pour malentendants

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6047074A (en) * 1996-07-09 2000-04-04 Zoels; Fred Programmable hearing aid operable in a mode for tinnitus therapy
WO2000056120A1 (fr) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-21 Curtin University Of Technology Dispositif et methode de traitement de l'acouphene
US20040047483A1 (en) * 2002-09-10 2004-03-11 Natan Bauman Hearing aid
WO2005015952A1 (fr) * 2003-08-11 2005-02-17 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Procede d'augmentation du son pour malentendants

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9744330B2 (en) 2009-10-09 2017-08-29 Auckland Uniservices Limited Tinnitus treatment system and method
US10850060B2 (en) 2009-10-09 2020-12-01 Auckland Uniservices Limited Tinnitus treatment system and method
FR3071376A1 (fr) * 2017-09-20 2019-03-22 Xavier Arthur Carriou Procede pour ameliorer le reglage des aides auditives pour les patients atteints d' acouphene

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