The text is Reproduced
from
"Tinnitus
Today"
Sept 15 1999

Tinn.
Today
Editor's
Note

Thought to live by

American
Tinnius Association

Hadassah
Medical
Organization

Hadassah
Tinnitus
Clinic

A (long) Editor's Note to the letters-from-jerusalem (tinnitus-today sept 15 1999)

I called Dr Shemesh in Israel to learn some specifics about the treatment he offers, and to find out why the treatment protocol is, according to Ray Ennis, "censored." Shemesh received my call warmly and was frank about the limitations that have been placed upon him by the Israeli Army. (Many of Shemesh's patients are military personnel whose hearing was damaged by military noise exposure, like bomb and grenade blasts.) He is uneasy that his clinical work might go unnoticed because of the restrictions. 'As you know," he said, "in the world of science, it is publish or perish.' I have not been able publish any papers about my work with tinnitus patients over the years. So recently we officially applied to the Israeli Army for permission to publish the details of these 19 years of research. And we were told 'officially' that we could not do it.

Shemesh is optimistic that the hold will be lifted soon. He explains: 'We are a country that is used to secrecy. And because of that, I know that it is easier for the Israeli Army to handle non-secret information than that which is secret. " He believes that the Israeli Army will, sooner than later, get weary of its hold on his work.

From my conversation with Dr Shemesh, I was able to glean two clear things about his treatment of tinnitus patients: He offers them an absolute understanding of their condition, and a better investigation of their problem and overall health than most of his patients say they've had before. Shemesh adds, "Some physicians create crisis by saying to the patient, 'You have to learn to live with it. 'If someone calls me, they don't have to come to Israel to feel better Sometimes they feel better just knowing that there is help somewhere. " He feels strongly that ATA conveys the same important Message to people with tinnitus. 'You let people know that there is help for their condition. And by doing that, your organization is doing one of the most important jobs in the field of tinnitus in the world.'

Mike Cohen webpage

Mr. Ennis can be contacted via e-mail at: .stelablu@maui. net

Mike Cohen can be contacted via e-mail at: nu@netvision.net.il

Dr Shemesh can be contacted by
s-Mail.
Hadassah Ein Kerem, tinnnitus Clinic,
PO. Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel

e-mail
pr@hadassah.org.il

Web site:
http://www.hadassah.org.il/hmo/tinnitus/tinnitus.htm

Telephone on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday,
7-8 a.m. Israel time (7 hours later than Eastern time) 011-972-9-899-7992, Fax: 011-972-2-677-6768