Anyone who has ever experienced phantom ringing in their ears knows that it is a nuisance to say the least. Those who have tinnitus – hearing continuous ringing, buzzing, humming or even roaring sounds – often experience anxiety and depression as a result.
The condition affects approximately 15% of the global adult population. However, treatment has remained elusive, with those afflicted left to find their own ad hoc mitigation solutions.
Neuromod, a medtech startup from Ireland, is looking to change that. The company has just received €30 million in funding to further commercialise its tinnitus treatment device, Lenire.
A different kind of electrotherapy
With its patented bimodal neuromodulation technology, Lenire works by sending mild electrical signals to the tongue, while patients listen to auditory stimulation through headphones.
Thus far, over 700 patients have participated in clinical trials with the device, which consists of three parts. A handheld, lightweight controller allows the user to control timing, intensity and synchronisation of the stimuli, while Neuromod’s proprietary Tonguetip module sits in the user’s mouth, administering electrical pulses to the top of the tongue. Simultaneously, Bluetooth headphones deliver customised sound stimuli to the auditory nerve.
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