By Jo Wiley
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| Trials have shown that the treatment helped seven in 10 patients. |
HUNDREDS of thousands of tinnitus sufferers could be cured by wearing headphones – which “retrain” sound cells in the brain.
Tinnitus is the sensation of sound – often a ringing or buzzing in the ears – with no obvious cause.
One in 10 British adults has tinnitus and 600,000 suffer so badly their quality of life is blighted.
In trials, scientists found chronic sufferers were helped by wearing headphones, which did not block out everyday sounds, but played a series of different tones for four to six hours a day for nine months.
The headphone sounds dramatically reduced the tinnitus loudness by slashing the over-activity of auditory nerve cells within the hearing portion of the brain.
Over time the auditory neurons learned to stop firing and the persistent noise eased.
Tinnitus is the sensation of sound – often a ringing or buzzing in the ears – with no obvious cause.
One in 10 British adults has tinnitus and 600,000 suffer so badly their quality of life is blighted.
In trials, scientists found chronic sufferers were helped by wearing headphones, which did not block out everyday sounds, but played a series of different tones for four to six hours a day for nine months.
The headphone sounds dramatically reduced the tinnitus loudness by slashing the over-activity of auditory nerve cells within the hearing portion of the brain.
Over time the auditory neurons learned to stop firing and the persistent noise eased.
The trial led by Professor Peter Tass at Julich Research Centre in Germany found the treatment, known as Acoustic Coordinated Reset Neuromodulation, reduced levels of both loudness and annoyance of tinnitus within 12 weeks, compared with patients who received a placebo.
Mark Williams, principal scientific audiologist at the Tinnitus Clinic, said: “It is the first treatment for tinnitus to remove rather than mask symptoms. The results are extremely encouraging.”
His clinic is requesting a review of the treatment, with the aim of making it more widely available. The findings of the trial will be presented to a British Medical Association conference tomorrow.
Mark Williams, principal scientific audiologist at the Tinnitus Clinic, said: “It is the first treatment for tinnitus to remove rather than mask symptoms. The results are extremely encouraging.”
His clinic is requesting a review of the treatment, with the aim of making it more widely available. The findings of the trial will be presented to a British Medical Association conference tomorrow.
