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Tinnitus Research Projects

Tinnitus is that annoying ringing in your ears that never seems to go away. You might hear buzzing, ringing or other white sounds. There is no cure for this malady. Hope does exist as many scientists are working on determining how to find a cure. According to the American Tinnitus Association, (ATA) scientists have made tremendous advances in determining what causes your tinnitus and how it needs to be treated.

  1. The ATA's Roadmap to a Cure

    • A roadmap

      ATA defined a chart that helps to identify what is known right now about tinnitus and what scientists will need to make progress in developing a cure. Using this roadmap, the scientists hope to find a solution on one of the paths that will help improve your life. Although they are not talking about a cure but improvements, the scientists are hoping the roadmap will lead them there.

      There are four paths on the map. The first, defined as Path A, identifies where the problem is in the brain. Path B will determine the action that is causing tinnitus. Path C will be the path to develop therapy for tinnitus and Path D leads the scientists to customizing therapies for specific patients.

      The ATA is determined that eventually there will be a cure for tinnitus.

    Sufferers Help Tinnitus Research

    • An illustration of a depressed man

      Thirty people from Liverpool, England, are participating in a research project to determine why the constant buzzing sound from tinnitus causes anxiety and depression. This project will explore links between the brain that controls the emotions (limbic), the brain's auditory cortex (the receiver of sounds) and the aural stimulation of tinnitus.

      Using a scanning technique of the MRI scanner and a magnetoencephalogram machine combined, The University of Liverpool and the audiology services of Aintree University Hospitals hope to see the link. The goal of this research is to move a step closer to help people manage their emotional situation due to tinnitus. Thirty people who do not have tinnitus will be the control group.

    FYI

    • Rushing water

      Masking therapy is the ability to neutralize the sound in your ears. For instance, running water or a sound machine will help to lessen the severity. You might consider picking up your favorite CD or MP3 and treat yourself to listening to something soothing. Masking the sound gives you the ability to turn it off the tinnitus for a bit.

      Another therapy is TRT, which is tinnitus-retraining therapy. Combining both talk therapy and sound therapy, this helps you become desensitized to the sound in your ears. This therapy takes a lot of hard work. The point is to tell and teach your neural pathways in your brain that your tinnitus is no longer bothering you.

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