There is a major problem that is reaching epidemic levels in electronic dance music. It is a silent demon, one that comes with the innocence and enjoyment of a night out at your favorite club or venue. Not only that, but it can also effect you when you're at home, doing homework, or driving on the highway. Even as I sit here right now, I am subjecting myself to the negative effects of it. What could possibly come at us from so many angles, and unfortunately, could also threaten our future with electronic dance music, or even music as a whole? Hearing damage, and specifically one of it's biggest symptoms is the worst of them all, Tinnitus is the answer.
Many of us who attend shows many times a year or even many times a month, have no idea that our ears are being tormented by the music we love the most. This, added in with our culture's obsession when it comes to the volume of the music we listen to at home or in the car, creates for a deadly threat. Hearing loss, and the presence of Tinnitus in someones life can truly change one's perspective on music. Challenging not only one's ability to enjoy and listen to music, but also to live a normal life in all other facets. Without one's ability to hear, life is very tough to get used to, especially if you have a passion for music.
For some of us it may be too late, we have already began to show the early signs of Tinnitus, or the constant ringing is already present in our lives. Before recently, there wasn't much doctors could do to help those suffering from Tinnitus to be able to listen to the music that they love. However, just recently, a German technology company called Sonorme has developed a new app called Tinnitracks that gives sufferers the ability to listen without pain or further damage.
The way the app works begins with a trip to the doctor. A patient must be seen and must receive a card from the physician after they have been seen and the doctor has confirmed they are suffering from tinnitus. Once that card is sent in, a listener may start sending songs to the app, where each song will be put under a set of tests in order to determine if it can be used as effective music for the listener. If this is possible, the company will remove the frequencies in the song that cause tinnitus, and send the song back for the users listening pleasure. It takes a very small time for the listener's brain to adapt to the new frequency-adapted song, and listeners who are using the app have reported between 25-50% decline in their average affliction by the symptom.
The German based company just opened an office in Boston, but it seems they will not be able to tap into the US market just yet. Their service must go through a rigorous path through FDA standards before it can be offered to US citizens. We really look forward to this piece of technology to be blessed over us in the United States, and we commend Sonormed for bringing hope to this situation that many of us may suffer from in our lifetimes!
Source: Thump
