New strategies for providing hormonal contraception in developing countries.

Even with progress in increasing access to effective contraception over the past decades, and the growing range of contraceptive methods available on the market, women in developing countries continue to report an unmet need for family planning. This constraint continues to challenge reproductive health policies and programs, while the momentum of population growth and the young age structure in developing countries leads to larger numbers of potential contraceptive users and increasing global demand in contraceptive markets. Of late, there is a renewed focus on increasing access to long-acting hormonal methods to effectively meet this need, establishing and effectively implementing new service delivery strategies. A number of processes have profoundly affected the procurement and use of hormonal contraceptive methods in developing countries: a supportive policy environment, evidence-based practices and an increasing diversity of delivery strategies play a significant part in increasing number of contraceptive users and the demand for hormonal contraception.

Pulsed magnetic-field therapy: a new concept to treat tinnitus?

Both clinical and neurophysiological data suggest that chronic tinnitus is characterized by focal brain activation. In the study reported here, pulsed magnetic-field therapy induced a highly significant increase of average total power for the delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands, predominantly within the frontal regions of the brain. We conclude that pulsed magnetic-field therapy induces changes of the electroencephalography pattern that correlated with a decrease in tinnitus symptoms.

Quantitative electroencephalography patterns in patients suffering from tinnitus.

We conducted this study in an attempt to determine whether the electroencephalographic activity in patients suffering from tinnitus exhibits tinnitus-typical electroencephalography features. Our results indicated a significant increase in the average total power in female tinnitus patients and a significant decrease in average total power in male tinnitus patients. Furthermore, we noted a suppression of the alpha peaks or a split alpha band (or both). The reactivity of the alpha frequency was employed to evaluate the efficacy of noise generators, a critical component of tinnitus-retraining therapy. In conclusion, tinnitus-typical electroencephalography features can be extracted from the electroencephalogram.

Dorntherapy: its effect on electroencephalographic activity in tinnitus patients with craniocervical dysfunction.

Dorntherapy was developed in the 1980s by Dieter Dorn, a nonmedical person, to cure his and his family members' vertebral problems. This technique achieves correction of dysfunctions of the vertebrae and joints simply by using natural movements of arms and legs or by applying gentle pressure (thumb) to the spinous process. Various observations suggest that craniocervical dysfunction can lead to tinnitus, thus causing changes in the electroencephalographic patterns. This study demonstrates that the successful application of Dorntherapy induced prominent changes of the electroencephalographic activity. Data analysis revealed a significant increase in the power of the alpha (8-13 Hz) and the alpha2 (9-11 Hz). Besides electrophysiological effects, changes in the quality of tinnitus and in the intensity of the tinnitus were noted. These results suggest that Dorntherapy must be an integral part of any tinnitus therapy.

Neurofeedback and quantitative electroencephalography.

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine the efficacy of neurofeedback (NFB) in the treatment of patients suffering from vertigo or tinnitus. Results indicated that after NFB, power for delta and theta bands was reduced; however, an increase of power was noted for the alpha bands. Furthermore, normalization was observed for the vestibular evoked potentials (VestEP). After NFB, a normalization of the VestEP was also demonstrated in a patient suffering from a bilateral tinnitus. A follow-up study (12 months after NFB) demonstrated that the VestEP were normal.