Otoharmonics (Portland, Ore.) has won a five-year contract to supply its sleep therapy system for tinnitus management to patients who receive care within the U.S. departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Service and U.S. Public Health Service.
The company’s Levo sleep therapy system is designed for home use to work in concert with the brain’s natural restorative and learning processes. Patients who experience buzzing or ringing in the ears listen to personalized sound therapy while sleeping to gain relief. Over time, the brain learns to ignore the tinnitus perception, resulting in a reduction of tinnitus intensity and negative impact.
The system has been shown to reduce the level of tinnitus intensity and improve the quality of life in several published peer-reviewed studies, including a randomized controlled study by the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research at the VA Portland Health Care System, according to Otoharmonics. The system is compatible with the clinical practice guidelines for tinnitus published by the American Academy of Otolaryngologists and the VA’s progressive tinnitus management program, the company added.
Tinnitus is the number one service-related disability among U.S. veterans, according to the American Tinnitus Association. An often-overlooked outcome of active duty, tinnitus is typically a result of exposure to loud noise. Left untreated, symptoms may increase over time and significantly affect the quality of life.
“Increasing access to affordable, evidence-based tinnitus care for U.S. servicemen and -women has been an ongoing focus for Otoharmonics,” said CEO Michael Baker in a prepared statement. “The … award is a significant step toward expanding care within this underserved patient population.”
