.Silencing the Ring: The Journey of Pratishthit Mathur in Transforming Tinnitus Care

When Pratishthit Mathur founded Karnarogyam Private Limited and its flagship brand Vernal Sounds, he wasn’t just building a medical technology company — he was answering a call to bridge a long-ignored gap in healthcare. His focus: tinnitus, the persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears that affects millions of people and yet remains one of the most misunderstood and under-treated conditions in ENT practice. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Pratishthit began speaking with people suffering from tinnitus. What he heard was distressing — sleepless nights, mental strain, and a recurring message of helplessness. Patients were often told to “learn to live with it.” Doctors, meanwhile, lacked structured diagnostic tools, consistent therapies, or long-term monitoring systems. This disconnect between what patients needed and what the medical system offered sparked a mission in him: to make tinnitus care scientific, measurable, and accessible. That mission became reality with the creation of Vernal Sounds, a tinnitus-focused division under Karnarogyam. At its heart lies Brain-Retraining (BR) Technology, a neuromodulation-based sound therapy that uses controlled sound patterns to retrain how the brain perceives tinnitus. The therapy is designed to reduce the intensity of the ringing by altering neural responses, gradually restoring balance in auditory processing. But Vernal Sounds isn’t just about the device — it’s about the system around it. Pratishthit built an ecosystem where doctors receive diagnostic reports and therapy progress updates, while patients benefit from continuous follow-ups and flexible access models, such as monthly rentals or direct purchases. This framework ensures that every stage — diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up — is connected, providing accountability, consistency, and trust. By September 2023, Karnarogyam began clinical trials for the therapy. Over six months, 86 patients participated across diverse age groups. Results were remarkable — the average Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score dropped from 47.42 to 9.71, indicating a significant reduction in symptom severity. The success rate stood at 90%, with an average treatment duration of just 1.5 months. For Pratishthit, these results weren’t just numbers; they were lives changed and confidence restored. At the clinical forefront of this journey stands Dr. Nidhi Dhawan, Director of the ENT Department at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj. As a Board Advisor at Vernal Sounds, Dr. Nidhi plays a crucial role in aligning the technology with real-world ENT practice. She has been instrumental in refining diagnostic protocols, validating therapy outcomes, and guiding the team with clinical precision. Her upcoming collaborative podcast series with Pratishthit aims to spread awareness about tinnitus and the importance of structured, evidence-based treatment. Together, Pratishthit and Dr. Nidhi are transforming how tinnitus is understood and treated in India. Their partnership bridges innovation and medical expertise, ensuring that care is both technologically advanced and deeply human. Today, Vernal Sounds continues to expand across India, offering hope to patients who once believed their condition had no solution. For Pratishthit, every relieved patient is a reminder of why he began this journey — to replace the sound of despair with the sound of hope.