Why I Built This
I built this tool after living with tinnitus — a persistent high-pitched tone in both ears that appeared about four years ago, possibly as a result of COVID. I was told there was nothing to be done. Then in 2023 I came across and something clicked.
The science shows that tinnitus is a form of maladaptive plasticity in the brainstem. The dorsal cochlear nucleus gets stuck in a hyperactive state, generating phantom sound. What the research demonstrated is that pairing audio tones with a touch stimulus — timed to the exact same rhythm — can gradually reset that hyperactivity. Not through any drug or surgery, but through the brain's own ability to rewire itself.
I started doing daily sessions with a $30 TENS unit and headphones. After about two weeks I noticed the tinnitus was quieter in the mornings. By week four it had dropped noticeably — not gone, but clearly reduced. I've now been doing this for several months. This tool is what I use to run and track those sessions.