Hearing care professionals who treat sufferers of severe tinnitus will be able to perform in-office fittings and further individualize treatment with the new release of the Oasis™ device, manufactured by Neuromonics, Westminster, Colo.
The Oasis represents the next generation of the device, according to Curtis Amann, vice president of marketing and sales for Neuromonics, who characterizes it as the gold standard in tinnitus treatment. The FDA-cleared, patented Oasis reportedly offers long-term, significant relief for individuals with severe tinnitus.
With the Oasis, a specially trained audiologist administers a long-term treatment protocol based on the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment (NTT). Using calming, relaxing music, the Oasis is embedded with a neural stimulus that interacts with the tinnitus perception. The music, customized for each user’s audiological profile, engages the auditory pathways to promote neural plastic changes. Over time, these changes help the brain to filter out the tinnitus perception, reducing tinnitus disturbance and providing long-term relief from symptoms. The compact Oasis device is simple to use, functions much like familiar consumer music players, and fits easily into patients’ lifestyles.
“The new features of this next-generation Oasis are more user-friendly for both the audiologist and patient,” says Amann. Audiologists now can complete in-office programming of the Oasis via the NOAH (industry-standard software platform for hearing aid/device fitting) interface. Previously, he explains, Neuromonics programmed the Oasis using information the prescribing audiologist provided to the company. “The ability to fit the device on the same day as the evaluation is a tremendous advance,” he explains. “Audiologists have greater flexibility in fitting the patient, fittings are faster, and patients can start down the road to relief more quickly.”
Key features
• Real-time processing: Fast, in-office fitting eliminates need to send audiograms to Neuromonics.
• Balance control: Enables audiologists, through NOAH, to account for asymmetries in patients’ hearing.
• Phase transition timer: Allows the patient to more easily move through Oasis’ two-phase protocol with a graduated schedule the audiologist sets in the software.
• Volume regulation: Lets audiologists directly regulate the volume of the neural stimulus in the music during the first phase of the treatment, while patient is in the office.
• Additional music selections.
• Micro-USB for charging and data transfer: Eases implemenation by audiologists.
The Oasis now integrates more effectively into the clinician’s workflow, says Amann, bringing a new level of individualization to the patient and audiologist. “The changes will make it much easier for professionals to work with the Oasis in their clinics, individualize treatment, and allow them to maximize their time with patients.
Oasis for the military. Neuromonics completed the design of the newest generation of the Oasis with funds received from a US Army Medical Research Acquisition Act, with a focus on helping the growing incidence of tinnitus among members of the military. Tinnitus is especially significant in the military, as more than 34% of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from tinnitus and, while there is no tinnitus cure, are seeking relief.
According to Neuromonics, the Oasis, as well as Neuromonics’ Sanctuary™ and Haven™ products, fits the Progressive Tinnitus Management protocol that the US Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense utilize. The Oasis has seen excellent results among members of the military, according to Amann.
The Hearing Review published an article on the Neuromonics system in the August 2007 edition.
Source: Neuromonics
