Tinnitis masking

Abstract

A system and method for tinnitus masking. Ultrasound noise is provided to a head of a patient as a vibration by way of a transducer, to thereby stimulate the auditory cortex. Once stimulated, the auditory cortex will suppress tinnitus. The ultrasound noise may be provided as an ultrasound frequency tone or as a range of frequencies that have been multiplied with an audio frequency. Pulsed ultrasound is utilized for ultrasound noise in the MHz range.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tinnitus masker, comprising: 
 an ultrasound source configured to output at least one ultrasound frequency; and    a vibration unit connected to the ultrasound source and configured to convert the at least one ultrasound frequency to a vibration,    wherein the vibration unit is coupled to a person who experiences tinnitus in order to provide a vibration within a brain of the person to thereby mask the tinnitus.    
     
     
         2 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , further comprising an amplifier and power supply unit connected between the ultrasound unit and the vibration unit and configured to control an amplitude level of the at least one ultrasound frequency to be no more than 20 dB greater than a threshold level of sound for the person.  
     
     
         3 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is a frequency of between 20 kHz and 200 kHz.  
     
     
         4 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is a frequency of between 10 kHz and 200 kHz.  
     
     
         5 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is a frequency of between 200 kHz and 5 MHz.  
     
     
         6 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is a frequency of between 20 kHz and 5 MHz.  
     
     
         7 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pulser connected between the ultrasound unit and the vibration unit and configured to pulse the at least one ultrasound frequency at a rate less than a 10 Hz rate.  
     
     
         8 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is swept over a range of frequencies centered at the at least one ultrasound frequency.  
     
     
         9 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is swept over a range of frequencies centered at the at least one ultrasound frequency.  
     
     
         10 . The tinnitus masker according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one ultrasound frequency is swept over a range of frequencies centered at the at least one ultrasound frequency.  
     
     
         11 . A method of masking tinnitus, comprising the step of: 
 a) providing ultrasound noise to a head of a patient.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the ultrasound noise is noise within a range of from 20 kHz to 200 kHz.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the ultrasound is noise within a range of from 10 kHz to 200 kHz.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the ultrasound is noise within a range of from 200 kHz to 5 MHz.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the step of: 
 b) pulsing the ultrasound noise before applying the ultrasound noise to the head of the patient.    
     
     
         16 . A method of examining a patient in order to provide an ultrasound treatment for that patient, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of ultrasound frequency tones, in sequence, to the patient, to determine an optimum ultrasound frequency for the patient; and    providing a plurality of audible frequencies modulated by the determined optimum ultrasound frequency, so as to determine a particular audible frequency that is optimum for the patient with respect to ultrasound tinnitus masking.