Eardoc Overview for Healthcare & Professionals

The Eardoc device operates in a combined manner that involves the transmission of small vibrations (which open the obstructed Eustachian tubes), and relief of pressure from the ear drum resulting in reduction of edema.

How does the Eardoc work?

The Eardoc device conforms especially to the structure of the ear. The device is placed behind the ear and sends out small vibrations, along the outer ear canal to the tympanic membrane. These vibrations produce tiny pressure waves that affect the walls of the Eustachian tubes causing relaxation of the surrounding tissue. As a result, the accumulated air and fluids are released and the pressure on the eardrum is reduced.

The vibrations also reduce the edema formation in the middle ear, which is the primary reason for blockage of the Eustachian tube and the build up of fluids and air in the middle ear space. Watch short videos of how children and adults using the Eardoc.

Eardoc – Recommended use

• Place the Eardoc device behind the ear, and rest it on the base of the ear (above the mastoid bone).
• Adjust the optimum frequency (read below) and use the device 4-6 times/day for 3-5 minutes

• Use Eardoc while sitting down. Using the device standing up may cause loss of balance and dizziness.
• The device should not be used in children under the age of one year old.

Eardoc – adjusting frequency for optimal results

Eardoc enables adjusting frequency for optimal treatment results.

Note that optimum frequencies may vary between individuals and depend on the size of the Eustachian tubes and the middle ear cavity. We recommend you to advise your patient to gradually cover the entire frequency and intensity range until the optimum is found. Young children and toddlers should use lower intensity than adults.

Why recommend Eardoc to your patient?

• To eliminate miss use of antibiotic treatment.
• An effective alternative to ear tube surgery.
• Eardoc has been shown effective in clinical studies – See the full research
  
• Provides almost instant relief of ear pain
• Improves absorption of medication (in some cases eliminates need for medication)
• Easy to use, lightweight and low cost device.
• Opens clogged Eustachian tubes and allows drainage of trapped fluid
• Reduces edema and assists in healing inflammation
• The treatments are done at the patient’s home, or at your office setting

Eardoc device replaces surgery and Drugs in Draining Middle-Ear Fluid

In children with persistent otitis media, ear tubes are often recommended to treat the infection and remove the middle ear fluid. This procedure involves making a small incision in the eardrum and placing a tube in the incision to drain the infected fluid from the ear.

Note that ventilation tubes are not a permanent solution: the child may still get ear infections. Further more, surgery is always preformed under general anesthesia and may lead to complications such as early expulsion of tubes, blockage of tubes, retained ventilation tubes, and tympanic membrane perforation.

Click for more information about ear tube surgery risks

MANY EAR TUBE INSERTIONS MAY BE UNNECESSARY IN CHILDREN

Each year thousands of children undergo surgery to prevent hearing loss due to a buildup of fluid in the middle ear from ear infection and other causes.

Surgery is not something to be taken lightly. The procedure of inserting the tubes requires that the child be placed under general anesthesia. In the United States alone, over 500,000 children experience this possibly unnecessary surgery every year.

Profit drives the bottom line

Although most of us don’t want to believe surgeons are motivated by financial considerations to perform certain surgical procedures, money is clearly a playing role. The average cost of an ear tube surgery is $1700 to $2800. Unfortunately, research shows that in many cases ear tubes are unnecessarily surgically inserted in children who suffer from ear infections. Needless surgeries mean higher profits for doctors and hospitals. Thus, Profit drives the bottom line.

Research shows: ear tubes are surgically inserted too soon

Parents of children with ear problems should be wary of quick recommendations by doctors to insert ear tubes. A study at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City found that in many cases ear tubes are surgically inserted too soon, thus subjecting children to general anesthesia for a medical procedure that may be unnecessary.

The persistence of ear infection and fluid discharge is the key to making a medical decision to insert ear tubes. According to the American Academies of Pediatrics, Family Physicians and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery guidelines, the general recommendation is that children should not undergo ear tube surgery unless the fluid buildup continues for at least 3 to 4 months consecutively.

One of the key findings of the study is that more than three quarters of children in the study who received ear tubes had fluid for less than a month and a half.

Not all doctors support the use of ear tubes. You may want to carefully weigh all of your options and consider a second opinion before making a decision about whether they’re right for your patient.

President Obama on doctors that aren’t acting in the best interests of their patients (July 22, 2009):
“Right now, doctors a lot of times are forced to make decisions based on the fee payment schedule that’s out there. … the doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, ‘You know what? I make a lot more money if I take this kid’s tonsils out …”