Frequencies of Relief - VIDEO interview with co-founder of TinniSoothe

Watch our interview with Jez Lawson, co-founder of the British company TinniSoothe, which focuses on providing practical tinnitus relief. Hear straight from Jez the compelling back story of the firm: how music-induced hearing damage and a water sports accident left his business partner Howard Presland with a commitment to inventing a way to relieve the constant annoyance – very often agonising – of tinnitus noises. 

Only five years ago, founder Presland was recovering from a brain-stem stroke, the result of a high-speed windsurfing crash. He had to learn again to walk and talk, “even how to hold a cup”. Presland worked with brother Lloyd on developing TinniSoothe prototypes. 

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the flagship product TinniSoothe is certified as a Class 1 medical device. 

Funding, awards, and a deal with Boots

Earlier this year, the company announced that its equity crowdfunding campaign had raised £270,047 – achieving 180% of its funding target. TinniSoothe also announced a strategic tie-up with Boots Hearingcare during the raise, and the company is now set to accelerate development of its Version 2 product for tinnitus relief.

Announced in May, the TinniSoothe deal with Boots Hearingcare makes the product available to a broader audience.

Karen Shepherd, Director of Audiological Support at Boots Hearingcare, said: “TinniSoothe has received great

reviews since its launch last year, including from some of our own Boots colleagues. We are proud to support an innovative

British product that will make a positive difference to many people’s lives.”

International recognition as world’s only wearable tinnitus relief device

Great responses for the tech start-up’s product included recognition this autumn in the Sixth annual Hearing

Technology Innovator Awards. The annual awards programme, hosted by Hearing Health & Technology Matters

(HHTM) in the US, recognises technological innovation and achievement in the hearing industry.

Value to UK combat veterans to be put to the test

November brought the announcement that the UK’s leading charity specialising in veterans’ mental health – Combat Stress -is teaming up with TinniSoothe on a pioneering tinnitus trial, a scientific study to test this wearable sound-therapy device as anew scalable intervention for tinnitus and associated mental health conditions.

Professor Dominic Murphy, Head of the Combat Stress Centre for Applied Military Health Research, said:

“Veterans often suffer with tinnitus, which can worsen existing mental health conditions. There’s an  urgent need for practical,

scalable and non-invasive alternatives. Wearable sound therapy shows promise but has rarely been studied in isolation or in

veteran populations.”

A prior feasibility study using TinniSoothe devices, submitted by Combat Stress to the Journal of Hearing Science, found the technology to be both feasible and well accepted by veterans. All participants completed the study, with no dropouts or serious adverse events. Most chose to keep their device and said they would recommend it to others.

Now, this larger controlled study will assess whether the TinniSoothe device improves tinnitus symptoms and mental wellbeing in UK veterans. Over 12-months, the study will measure changes in tinnitus severity (TFI), mental  wellbeing (GHQ-12), insomnia (ISI) and life satisfaction (SWLS). Recruitment is underway.