FDA-approved device uses tongue zaps to calm tormenting tinnitus: costs $4,000

[frauenfelder]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/04/16/fda-approved-device-uses-tongue-zaps-to-calm-tormenting-tinnitus-costs-4000.html

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[Brainspore]

Still the quickest way to find out if your 9-volt batteries are still good…

[mr_raccoon]

[BakaNeko]

[Surprise_Puma]

The only explanation I’ve got for shifting from “tongue zapping” to “cures tinnitus” is someone enjoying some light e-stim play and noticing a curious side effect.

[vrplumber]

I get that a couple of bare wires leading to a power source is too simple, but $4000?

I think they should be able to deliver a small jolt of electric current safely for a bit less, but I am not an electrical engineer/product designer.

[stinkinbadgers]

I’m guessing a large part of it is the difference between engineered/tested for FDA approved medical use vs a hobby toy.

[Wayward]

What about a home TENS unit? Different zap patterns for different tinnitus sounds?

No, I am NOT trying that.

[dfaris]

I have pretty bad tinnitus. It’s the monotonous soundtrack to my life. But I can tune it out most of the time. Unless I think about it… Like I am now…

Still, this cure still sounds worse than the malady.

[jenagain]

I suffer from same–try deep green or deep brown sound, YMMV but it seems to help me.

[atteSmythe]

Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been fascinated by this sort of sensory hacking ever since I saw Alan Alda navigate some cubicles using only his tongue for sight on American Scientific Frontiers. Sadly, I can’t find the video anymore. But it looks like it uses the same sort of unit, and like companies are/were still developing the technology as of 2008 or so (c.f. “Tongue display unit”)