Research and Media Articles
The therapeutic effect of high band pass classical music and
antioxidant supplements
By:
George B. Richards,Ph.D.
Paula J. Richards, A.B.A.
Rafaele Joudry, B.S.W.
The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of the
literature as it relates to the alternative approaches to hearing
health through an overview and history of the theories of Dr. Alfred
Tomatis, MD and present views toward antioxidant supplements. This
review will attempt to explain these views as related to the afferent
and efferent auditory neurological pathways and to explain how
oxidative stress to the auditory system can be alleviated.
PART 1
A Historical Review of the work of Dr Tomatis and Supporting Literature
By Rafaele Joudry BSW
Overview of Dr Tomatis’s work
In the 1940s Dr Tomatis, a Paris based ear, nose and throat specialist
conducted clinical trials with singers, aeroplane mechanics and others
to determine how their hearing was affected and whether it could be
improved.
He went on to develop a method of treatment which addresses hearing and
listening from both the physical and the psychological aspects. His
work was applied most extensively to children with learning disorders
and in language learning centres. Extensive anecdotal data and survey
results indicate improvement for certain hearing disorders. Through his
experiments Tomatis also discovered that high frequency sounds, softly
played stimulate and replenish brain energy. He believed that a regular
dose of high frequency sound is essential for optimum functioning of
the cortex. His method also appears to assist cerebellar integration,
leading to improvement in numerous neurological disorders.
Tomatis’s research
On completing his ENT studies Tomatis set up his own research rooms and
started amassing clinical data on audiometric tests. He focused on
aeroplane mechanics, many of whom had worked in highly detrimental
sound environments during the war. After testing in several different
situations, Tomatis noticed inconsistencies in results for hearing
tests depending on the subjects’ anticipation of the effect of hearing
loss on their career or possible pensions.
This inspired him to investigate the psychological aspect of hearing.
So began the development of Tomatis’ ideas on the wholistic nature of
language as it represents our evolving consciousness within our
environment. He was inspired by the work of Negus who determined that
ducklings could recognise the sound of their mother’s voice at birth,
and from this deduced the fact that much of our neurology for language
comprehension is laid down while still in utero.
Dr Agatha Sidlauskas, a psychologist and long time proponent of
Tomatis’s work has perhaps the best overall grasp of how the intricate
physical involvement of he ear in the entire nervous system implicates
its profound role at more psychic levels of our being. “The integration
of the ear with the rest of the organism means that to be able to speak
one must be able to control posture, to direct his gaze, to be sure of
inner dynamics and be capable of hearing sound and to analyze its
intake.”
Meanwhile Tomatis had begun working with singers. He subjected the
singers to audiometric tests, the same that he had been administering
to those people with occupational deafness and noticed a surprising
similarity in the audiometric curves. Could it be, he asked, that the
singers had deafened themselves with their own loud voices? By
measuring the intensity of their voices with a sonometer, he
established that powerful singers could reach 130 or 140 decibels,
certainly enough to cause deafness with continued exposure! Especially
since 130 decibels at a metre’s distance represents 150 decibels inside
ones skull!
Tomatis now began to investigate and compare the size of larynxes vis
à vis the voice structure against the shape of the audiogram in
relation to the voice. He had to conclude from the evidence he gathered
that the voice was controlled not by the larynx but by the ear. He was
able to verify from his test results that a scotoma in the audiogram
exactly matches the same loss of frequencies in the voice. Thus in 1947
Tomatis came to the formulation of his first law: “The voice only
contains those frequencies that the ear can hear.”
Tomatis’s next major discovery was that self listening and voice
production is controlled by the right ear. This is because the passage
of nerve impulses connecting the ear to the larynx and to the cranium
is more direct on the right side of the body. The recurrent laryngeal
nerves (belonging to the tenth pair of cranial nerves, the vagus) have
to cover a longer route on the left side for two reasons. One is that
they have to go around the heart. The other is that the central
laryngeal motor area is situated in the left brain. In other words, our
main speech centre is in the left brain, and this is most directly
reached via the right ear.
This means that the right ear has the more efficient route on two
counts: for language reception and vocal production. Therefore it must
direct. Tomatis says categorically that all great singers and musicians
are right-ear dominant. He also states, and other learning specialists
confirm his findings, that it is a requirement for efficient processing
of language for any person that the right ear must lead. We function
more efficiently if the right ear directs our listening.
During this period, Tomatis was developing the device which he
eventually called the Electronic Ear. This machine had the capacity to
feed back the subject’s voice with the frequencies altered so that they
could hear themselves in the correct way. Thus their ear was
reconditioned to accurate hearing, and the voice was also corrected.
Later Tomatis found that he could achieve the same result by playing
music, mainly Mozart, through the Electronic Ear. He found that
provided the subject experienced these altered sounds repeatedly for a
certain period of time, the effects would last. In later years Tomatis
trained many different practitioners to use his method and so it became
available in about two hundred centres around the world, in addition to
his centre in Paris.
Distinctions awarded to Tomatis as recognition of his early work were
as follows: Chavalier of public health 1951; International Scientific
Research Gold Medal at the Brussels World Fair (1959) awarded for the
Tomatis Effect Electronic Ear; International Scientific Research Bronze
Medal at the Brussels World Fair (1959) for the Tomatis Automatic
Audiometer; Grande Medaille de Vermail of the City of Paris (1962);
Clemence Isaure Prize. March 1967; Arts, Science and Literature Gold
medal. April 1968.
Clinical Studies
Recent brain research by Ted Carrick, an important pioneer in the field
of chiropractic neurology, indicates that rather than simply
psychological factors, brain function and in particular cerebellar
integration, determine the essential listening and attending component
needed to complete the act of hearing, particularly the ability to
focus ones hearing in the face of other sensory inputs, distractions
and background noise.
In the last few decades there have been numerous controlled studies,
clinical experiments and case histories, primarily in Canada, South
Africa and Australia, which confirm benefits of the Tomatis method for
a variety of conditions. These have been done firstly on the clinical
Tomatis treatment and more recently on the portable treatment developed
by Patricia and Rafaele Joudry. A brief summary of these studies
follows.
Canada
The Canadian studies focussed primarily on language and learning
abilities, demonstrating measurable changes on a variety of indicators.
Under-achieving children performed better when compared against control
groups according to objective tests and observations by parents and
teachers.
Sandislands and Lethbridge, (Sandislands 1989 ) compared 32
underachieving children with a control group of 40. The treated group
showed greater improvements in listening, oral reading and behaviour.
Likewise, Wilson (Wilson, 1982 ) found that a group of pre-school
language disordered children showed statistically significant
improvement in their ability to express thoughts and feelings in words
after Tomatis therapy.
Gilmor (Gilmor, 1982 ) found improvement in children and adolescents’
self concept, social and family relations and certain language and
motor skills.
Rourke and Russel (Rourke and Russel 1982 ) compared experimental and
control groups and found improvement in IQ of learning disabled
children under Tomatis treatment.
Two doctoral theses on the effect of the Tomatis method on five
dyslexic boys showed improved cognitive control and audio-vocal control
in four of the subjects. (Roy and Roy,1980 )
Weiss (Weiss, 1985 ) showed a shift of vocal energy to the higher
frequencies and better articulation in theatre students after Sound
Therapy.
South Africa
Van Wyk, compared 20 stutterers with 20 normal speakers and found that
more stutterers have left ear dominance, confirming Tomatis’ hypothesis
of the importance of right auditory laterality. (Van Wyk, 1974 ) This
was also confirmed by Badenhorst, who found that right eared people
communicate more easily. (Badenhorst 1975 )
Jaarsveld (Jaarsveld 1974 ) treated a group of 43 stutterers, in which
82% got significant relief from the treatment, and 54% retained the
improvement for a year or more.
Peche, treated a group of 10 students and found that Sound Therapy
helped to alleviate anxiety and remove psychic blocks. He concluded
that it is beneficial in conjunction with psychotherapy. (Peche 1975 )
Botes found improved relationships and self concept in an in depth
study of three clients with neurotic depression when treated with
Tomatis therapy. (Botes, 1979 )
A long term study by Du Plesis over 14 months with subjects carefully
selected from a survey of 424 people showed improved mental health and
self actualization for both 10 anxious and 10 non anxious people who
had Tomatis treatment, as compared to a control group. (Du Plesis 1982 )
De Bruto, (De Bruto 1983 ) found a statistically significant increase
in the mental age of profoundly retarded children after Tomatis
treatment.
The following studies were done using Joudry’s portable program of the
Tomatis treatment method.
U.K.
The audiometrician, Eric Jordan, trialled the Sound Therapy tapes on an
unspecified number of subjects and claimed he found that 90% of
tinnitus sufferers got some relief as a result of Joudry Sound Therapy
tapes.
Australia
Special education teacher, Elizabeth Rintel, used Joudry tapes for
learning disabled children and found they advanced faster in reading,
spelling and auditory discrimination compared to a control group.
(Rintel, 1995. )
Sound Therapy Australia (Joudry 1994. ) undertook a three year survey
of 388 respondents which showed 45% to 100% symptomatic improvement in
subjects. The percentage who reported a positive outcome for each
condition was as follows: tinnitus, 84%; hearing loss, 56%; stress,
86%; fatigue, 84%; sleep problems, 75%; communication, 78%; learning
difficulties, 85%; speech problems, 64%; depression, 100%; headaches,
100%; jet lag 100%, and for general well being, 80%. 93% of subjects
observed some positive results in at least one area.
Bell, undertook a case study using Joudry tapes on a year 2 boy with
delayed development. As a result of the program and according to
evaluations undertaken by his mother, the experimenter and his teacher,
he showed improved social behaviour and began to read. (Bell 1991 )
Hearing Instrument Specialist, Paula Richards studied the effect of
Sound Therapy on hearing environmental sounds while listening and found
almost no impairment of the ability to hear surrounding noise while the
tapes are playing, meaning that it is quite safe to use Sound Therapy
during daily activities. (Richards 2001 )
The portable program
Sound Therapy was adapted for cassette tape in the 1980s by Patricia
Joudry and Rafaele Joudry, authors of Sound Therapy: Music to Recharge
Your Brain and Triumph Over Tinnitus. This meant that thousands of
people who did not have access or time to attend the lengthy and costly
clinic process could now use the therapy during daily activities. Long
term use brought to light more benefits in the areas of sleep, improved
energy, reduced stress, relief of tinnitus, improved sound
differentiation and in some cases better hearing.
Interestingly, the only studies to examine the effect on hearing and
ear related problems were the ones using the portable method. It was
only with the advent of the portable method that the effectiveness of
Sound Therapy for hearing disorders became apparent, as it usually
requires long term treatment to see effect in these areas. These
studies however were not rigorously controlled and further research is
needed to explore the anecdotal evidence which points to many
incidences of improved hearing, reduction in tinnitus, improved ability
to differentiate sound in a noisy environment, recovery from recurrent
and intermittent ear blockage problems, infections, excess wax
production and ear related balance disorders.
PART 2
Auditory Neurology That May Support The
Tomatis Theory and other Auditory Intervention Techniques. By: George
B. Richards, PhD
Call it sound therapy, auditory training or auditory intervention
techniques; these therapy approaches have been the focus for
investigation into many types of auditory processing disorders through
out the world in prestigious institutions of higher learning by leading
investigators.
Dr. Tomatis had a rather radical view of the transmission scheme that
is 180 degrees out of phase from the traditional viewpoint. He believed
that through a negative feedback loop originating at the level of the
endolyph, hydraulic pressure was being applied to the ossicles along
with middle ear muscle activity as a constant dampening and tuning of
the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane collected the sound and
transmitted it to the organ of Corti via the bony sulcus. Tomatis thus
concluded it was the role of the middle ear to regulate sound
transmission and provide a buffer for the shearing force required for
audition. The human ear must maintain an optimal micro-homeostasis by
limiting destructive shearing of the hair cells. Tomatis further
believed that it was the middle ear muscles, which control
high-frequency audition and have a significant role in cortical
charging.
(Figure 1)
Dr. Stephen Porges, at the University of Maryland (USA) working with
children with autism and other related disorders, has focused on the
two muscles of the middle ear. Porges states that the same nerves that
control vocalization, facial expression, heart rate and breathing,
innervate the tensor tympani and stapedius muscles. He points out that
when the human organism is in a state of fear or high anxiety, the
middle ear muscles loose the ability to diminish low-frequency sounds
and attending to the higher frequencies of speech is thus impaired.
Porges has developed an intervention protocol similar to the Tomatis
method using filtered music to exercise the middle ear muscles along
with whole body relaxation techniques to restore integrity to the
middle ear muscle function and has reported improvements in
communication skills, handwriting, balance and coordination, sensory
processing, visual skill and sleep patterns. (Porges, 2003)
The research of Rideout and Laubach at Ursinus College in Collegeville,
Pennsylvania required eight students to perform spatial-reasoning tasks
before and after listening to a Mozart piano sonata. EEG recordings
were made in each condition and an interesting correlation was
observed. The music condition dramatically increased brain wave
activity along with a significant increase in spatial-reasoning
performance. (Rideout and Laubach 1997). Musical perception occurs in
the right hemisphere of the brain, which is the same side of the brain
that is involved with spatial analysis. (Roederer)
Dr. John Hughes, a neurologist at the University of Illinois Medical
Center in Chicago found that music that regularly repeats every 20 to
30 seconds, just as most of Mozart’s compositions do, trigger the
strongest brain activity. Dr. Hughes studied the effects of listing to
Mozart on 36 subjects with severe epileptic seizures and found an
outstanding 29 out of the 36 patients showed significant improvement by
having fewer seizures of less intensity. (Hughes, John 1998)
Neurobiologist Gordon Shaw of the University of California at Los
Angeles using MRI studies to chart the brain wave activity of
individuals listening to different types of music found that only
Mozart activated areas of the brain that process fine motor
coordination, vision and other higher thought processing regions.
(Rauscher, Shaw and Ky, 1995)
Dr. Ingmar Klochoff of Uppsala, Sweden, describes a psychosomatic
syndrome, known as the tensor tympani syndrome and is caused by
increased psychic tension due to mental stress. There are individuals
who do not have a constant impedance of the middle ear. The conclusion
for this irregularity was spontaneous tonic tensor tympani muscle
activity. The symptoms of this syndrome are often a fullness, tinnitus
and dysacusis with a high relation to tension headache and vertigo.
This syndrome does not in its self cause hearing loss; however, persons
with this syndrome complain of difficulties in understanding what
people say. This psychosomatic syndrome is likely to be caused by an
inability to attend or concentrate caused by the ever-present rise in
psychic tension. (Klochoff 1979)
(Figure 2)
The Centrifugal Pathways are where things start to get interesting. We
all struggled with the afferent or input pathways and learned how
things got to the brain, but it was that efferent or feed back system
that always seemed to be so elusive and not very well understood. The
efferent nerves run close to, but not within, the same tracts, as do
the afferent nerves. The Superior Olivary Complex is the region of the
brainstem where efferent neurons arise and have their point of origin,
but are not within the afferent nuclei. It is this system that is
responsible for the auditory reflex activities of the stapedius and the
tensor tympanic muscles. Traditionally we have been taught that the
contraction of these muscles causes the ossicles to become less
efficient sound transmitters to the labyrinth, thus protecting the
delicate hair cell structure.
(Figure 3)
Unorthodox theories view this reflexive activity to be a tuning system
that is continually monitoring the tension being applied to the
tympanic membrane and providing protection to the hair cells from
superatheshold stimuli.
The auditory efferent system is also feeding information back to the
contractile outer hair cells pulling the tectorial membrane into the
afferent inner hair causing a mechanical fine tuning effect as in
attention and sound localization.
(Figure 4)
These unorthodox theories have merit; in that a true feedback system
would have a continuous flow of information that provides maximum tone
to the middle ear muscles. Just like an arm or a leg that does not
become completely limp when not in use, but maintains a proper tone all
of the time, unless injured. This is one of the main theories of the
Sound Therapy; that it will restore tone to the middle ear muscle
system and in turn tunes up the entire auditory system, which is
responsible for 85% of ongoing cortical activity
The system is also very global at a cortical level, sending information
to the somatic and automatic nervous system. These more global
responses are responsible for feelings of sadness, happiness, anxiety,
flight and fight and a host of other visceral responses. It is the
ears’ involvement with the X cranial nerve or the vagus nerve (some
times referred to as the wandering nerve) that innervates the bronchi
and heart going through the diaphragm and on to the entire viscera
including the esophagus to the anus. Very simply put, “We therefore
have a system in which reflexes can be established at many levels, and
in which the cortex controls the reflexes through descending
influences..”(Pickles 1988) )
Through over stimulation, sickness and disease, drug therapies and
other oxidative stress, the integrity of the afferent and efferent
nervous systems is compromised, with loss of muscle tone and synchrony
in the synaptic firing order. This compromise manifests itself in
myriad of symptomatic maladies, such as hearing loss, tinnitus, loss of
balance and coordination, loss of attention, inability to hear and
understand in the presence of background noise, fatigue, tiredness,
headaches, anxiety, depression and on and on. So when damage occurs to
this delicate feed back system, the homeostasis of the entire organism
is compromised. Thus is appears through highly organized temporal
stimuli (classical music), which has undergone high band pass
filtration, a restoration of aural muscle tone and synaptic firing
order provides better cortical processing. Better cortical processing
corrects a myriad of problems ranging from: anxiety relief, better
hearing, tinnitus control, better balance and coordination, to:
feelings of happiness and well being.
It seems that it is the reestablishing of the ability to listen to the
higher frequency that is responsible for repairing and reorganizing
cortical pathways. The energy levels coming in from the high frequency
areas are more intense than for the lower frequencies. Dr. Tomatis
calls the high harmonics the “charging sounds” while he describes the
lower frequencies as the “discharging sounds”. The lower frequencies
supply inadequate energy to the cortex and may even exhaust the
individual. (Weeks)
PART 3
ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTS FOR
THE EAR
By: Paula J. Richards, A.B.A., H.I.S., C.S.T.P.
This presentation’s purpose is to suggest some non-invasive treatment
recommendations and the studies that support their potential for
tinnitus relief.
We will discuss types of treatments and studies conducted on tinnitus
patients along with specific supplements and their levels
Literature, journals and the Internet are overflowing with data
regarding antioxidant effects on just about every subject imaginable.
When we began to research statements lauding the antioxidants and help
for tinnitus, there was no shortage of information.
After wading through test studies and analysis, I have attempted to
pick out those studies with the most validity and relevance to our
topic here today.
Typically the medical profession has prescribed little help for
tinnitus sufferers over the years. Most often antidepressants or
tranquilizers were used simply to ease anxiety. But on the extensive
list of drugs which create or increase tinnitus, these types of drugs
rank pretty high. The side effects were helpful, but did not address
relief of the total problem. Most often patients were told they would
“Just have to live with it”. That is a tough call when it affects their
entire life.
Treatments of every type imaginable have been suggested over time.
Recent information supplied to the 18th Annual Meeting of the
International Tinnitus Forum in 2000 by Dr. Michael Seidman discussed
intravenous treatments under consideration including caroverine. Also
discussed was memantine, which is delivered locally to the cochlea, as
well as catheter-delivered infusion of magnesium sulfate to the round
window. Although these treatments showed some tinnitus improvement,
emphasis was made that the treatment of tinnitus through transtympanic
injections is not only invasive, but entails potential risk of damaging
the hearing mechanisms. (Seidman, 2000) A risk that the majority of
hearing health care professionals choose to avoid, like the plague.
The total problem is that tinnitus is very complex in that it creates a
vicious cycle for the patient to overcome. The sufferers get stressed
from the continuous noise, the inability to sleep and rest, the
resulting eating problems, increased anxiety along with depression. All
these factors continue to increase the tinnitus and the cycle grows
more intense and more vicious.
Treatment factors need to be addressed which involve all of the aspects
that accompany the noise of tinnitus.
The antioxidant theory that free radicals in the ear cells and nerves,
which were created by noise and stress, can be either completely or
partially cured is an extensive subject all in itself.
Kopke et al noted that noise over exposure leads to the development of
reactive oxygen species in the cochlea, i.e. (oxidative stress). The
reactive oxygen steals molecules from the healthy outer hair cell
(OHC). These molecules are normally used to support its healthy
functioning. Noise over exposure over works the OHC causing the free
radicals to release and prevent the cell from replenishing critical
nutrients causing the once healthy cell to go into a death cycle. This
is why many researchers believe the damaged OHC can be treated with
antioxidants before the death cycle reaches a point of no return.
(Wolgemuth, 2000)
I will attempt to address the combination of supplements, which we feel
are best able to assist with this oxidative stress damage and assist in
tinnitus relief; and even in some cases, better hearing.
The first recommendation accompanying all studies is to suggest that
patients avoid alcohol, smoking, caffeine and reduce their salt intake.
Since this treatment pattern is suggested by doctors for a myriad of
ailments and not observed by their patients for any of them, the
recommendation of supplements is more widely accepted. After all, we
modern, busy people want the perfect pill that will remedy everything
that ails us.
The basis of the program dealing with supplements is the inclusion of
not just one element, but the combination of Ginkgo Biloba, Garlic,
Zinc and Vitamin A.
Ginkgo Biloba: Studies are ongoing and have been in progress for many
years relating to use of ginkgo biloba associated with tinnitus as well
as hearing problems. Studies have been going on in France, Italy,
Germany, Denmark as well as the U.S.A.; and you are all certain to be
aware of Jastreboff’s studies with this herbal supplement. (Hazell,
1990) (Jastreboff, 1997)
The German Commission E, who is considered the world’s most
knowledgeable body on herbal medicines, recommends EGb 761 (ginkgo
biloba) for the treatment of tinnitus. (Bumenthal, Busse, Goldberg,
1998)
There have been 19 clinical trials in Germany investigating the effects
of tinnitus treatment with EGb 761. Investigations of prognostic
factors revealed that short-standing disorders have a better prognosis;
so better results can be expected from early-onset treatment.
(Holstein, 2001)
A French multicenter randomized double-blind drug vs. placebo study of
the treatment of tinnitus with (EGb 761) extract was very positive. Ten
ENT specialists treated 103 tinnitus outpatients during a 13-month
treatment period. They summarized that the (EGb 761) extract treatment
improved the condition of all the tinnitus patients, irrespective of
the prognostic factor. (Meyer, 1986)
A pharmacologic study in Denmark attributes that the therapeutic effect
of ginkgo is based on several active constituents that have vasoactive
and free radical scavenging properties. The Danish study also found
ginkgo biloba to have a very tolerable side effect profile. (Soholm,
1998)
Garlic is lesser known, but not less valuable. Stress is a significant
factor in increasing tinnitus noise levels. The modern use of garlic
has focused on its ability to reduce stress, reduce cholesterol and
regulate blood pressure. A side effect of reducing cholesterol and
blood pressure is reducing the volume of noise produced by tinnitus.
The majority of studies show that the positive effects of garlic are
those that delivered a sufficient dosage of allicin. Since allicin is
the component responsible for the distinctive “ODOR” of garlic we have
all come to know and love, manufacturers have developed methods of
concentrating another component in garlic, alliin (which is odorless),
which is then converted to allicin in the body. (Angerstein, 1995)
Zinc: Studies on zinc and hearing have evolved valuable insight. In
2003, a Turkish placebo-controlled study with tinnitus patients was
very successful. Researchers Arda et al, measured blood zinc levels at
the beginning of the study. They found that 31% of the subjects
suffering tinnitus had lower-than-normal-zinc levels. In the same
research group, 82% of the tinnitus sufferers reported a significant
decrease in tinnitus severity. (Arda, 2003)
A Japanese study of 121 tinnitus patients suggested a benefit from zinc
supplementation. This same investigation suggested it was possible to
identify tinnitus patients by measuring serum zinc levels; thus aiding
in the overall treatment. (Ochi, 1997)
An important note on Zinc is that large doses can be toxic and should
be recommended at less than 40 mg per day.
Finally, Vitamin A: A New York Otorhinolaryngologist, M. J. Lobel, was
one of the first to demonstrate in 1949 that vitamin A is useful in
treating human hearing loss and tinnitus. Between 1941 and 51, five
experimental research studies were conducted into the correlation
between the ear and vitamin A. Authors concluded vitamin A was a
valuable therapeutic agent in the treatment of deafness and tinnitus.
(Lobel, 1951)
Identical trials with 103 patients in 1952 by G. Nager concluded that
vitamin A did accomplish an improvement in pure-tone hearing,
improvement in speech perception and reduction of accompanying
tinnitus. (Nager, 1952)
It is important to note that vitamin A can be toxic in large amounts
(over 50,000 I.U. per day) and should be consumed in the form of beta
carotine, which the body then converts to vitamin A. (Diesel, 2002)
The trial period in the studies and product literature ranges between
60 to 120 days to determine if any result will be obtained. In many
studies, extended trials gave even better results. The majority of
recommendations for trial periods of the supplements were 90 days.
Most of these supplements include little or no side effects. As with
any patient who is taking medications, they should be informed to check
with their physician for any contraindications. However, caution must
be exercised to warn patients who might be taking agents for
blood-thinning such as coumadin or warfarin to check with their primary
physician before taking Ginkgo Biloba.
Additionally, Ginkgo Biloba should be discontinued two weeks prior to
any surgical procedure.
Of course if any of your 60 to 80 year old patients are pregnant, they
should also check with their doctor.
Futuristic scientific research at Harvard Medical School involved
reproducing mouse embryonic stem cells inculture that resemble sensory
hair cells in the inner ear. These cells were transplanted into
developing ears of chickens and appeared to be very similar to the
chicken hair cells surrounding them. This technology may be used to
treat disorders primarily due to cell degeneration, including hearing
loss. (Cunningham, 2003) But not in the near future.
In summary, areas presented here today are non-intrusive methods that
give some level of relief to most tinnitus sufferers.
In our practice, we recommend the combination of Sound Therapy and
antioxidant supplements. This synergistic combination allows hearing
health care professionals to offer an alternative path for their
patients to follow in an effort to alleviate tinnitus suffering.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
by Rafaele Joudry
Sound Therapy International recommends a combination of Feroxin and
Revenol in combination with the Sound Therapy program. Feroxin provides
a wide range of at least 60 minerals in a colloidal (liquid) form,
derived from a natural source. These minerals assist with a wide range
of body and brain functions, assisting the liver to detox so the body
can more effectively utilize other nutrients.
Revenol is a powerful antioxidant formula containing several of the
most powerful and effective natural antioxidants. The first generation,
vitamins A, C and E will work for three hours in the body. The second
generation found in grape seed extract and pine bark extract and Ginkgo
biloba will last two to three times longer. Third generation anti
oxidants, (circuminoids) have now been discovered and will last for up
to three days, cleaning your body of free radicals.
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