News/Publications
More Tinnitus in the News
So many exciting things are happening in the world of tinnitus and tinnitus research. And we hope to see many more advances as time goes by. As research dollars grow, so will our hopes for a cure. You can count on us to keep you up to date.
Click on the articles and features below to read the latest information about tinnitus research and other tinnitus-related news. (Note: clicking on the links below will take you to Web sites not maintained or endorsed by the American Tinnitus Association.)
2008
Zebrafish offer clues to silencing tinnitus 5/14/08
This article, which recently appeared in The Washington Post, mentions The American Tinntius Association. The piece discusses the ongoing studies of tinnitus researcher, Ernest Moore, at Northwestern University in Illinois, who has been investigating the inner ears of zebrafish. According to Moore, zebrafish have shown the ability to both suffer from tinnitus as well as obtain relief from certain types of drugs. The article also quotes Dr. Anthony Caccace, of Wayne State University, who is the chair-elect of ATA’s Scientific Advisory Committee
Hearing Loss Association of America's 2008 Walk4Hearing 5/2/08
The goals of the walk include: have hearing loss recognized as a health issue; minimize the stigma associated with cochlear implants, assistive technology and wearing hearing aids; raise funds to expand services and programs for people with hearing loss and their families; and empower the HLAA state organizations and chapters to do more local outreach. The walk will be in 17 cities nationwide with an anticipated 4,000 walkers. People can walk themselves or sponsor a walker. Top sponsors of Walk4Hearing 2008 include Aetna, Advanced Bionics Corporation, T-Mobile, Phonak and Sorenson IP
Relay.
Potential Treatment for Noise-Induced Tinnitus 4/22/08
Exposure to loud sound is the most common cause of tinnitus. Researchers in Israel found that applying the drug "ifenprodil" directly to the cochlea, when applied within four days of damaging sound exposure, made noise-induced tinnitus go away. In addition to potential treatment options, this discovery suggests that tinnitus causes changes in the brain that become more permanent over time. Read the research summary or read the complete article.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: Helpful Day or Night 4/22/08
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) uses counseling, education and sound therapy to help a person reduce or end their tinnitus perception. TRT often involves using sound generators for up to eight hours a day. Researchers in Italy recently reported reduced tinnitus symptoms in 68 percent of their patients. Furthermore, researchers in France discovered that using sound generators at night is at least as effective as using them during the day. Advantages to nighttime use may include rapidly improved sleep quality and decreased use of sleep medications.
25 Years of Proof: Hearing Aids Can Help Tinnitus 4/22/08
A study that ran from 1980-2004 found that, of 1,440 patients with hearing loss and tinnitus, almost 70 percent reported improvement in their tinnitus perception after receiving hearing aids. This held true whether the patient had hearing loss on just one or on both sides.
Answered at Last: Why Your Teenager Never Seems to Hear You 3/4/08
Consider these facts recently released by researchers at West Virginia University. Of 238 college students:
- 75 percent knew that loud sounds could cause hearing loss.
- 50 percent exposed themselves to loud music anyway.
- 66 percent had experienced tinnitus.
- Of those that had experienced tinnitus, 58 percent weren’t concerned about it.
NIDCD Initiates doctor/research training program 3/4/08
Though medical research is valuable in its own right, its ultimate purpose is to improve disease treatment and management. The National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) recently announced an award program that will pair otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat doctors) with research scientists so that doctors can learn how to do research. This means that scientific discoveries will move more quickly from the research lab to the doctor’s office – where they can benefit you.
Stress Increases Tinnitus In Loud Environments 2/8/08
Tinnitus sufferers have long reported that their tinnitus sound increases in loud environments. For the first time, researchers are figuring out why. A recent study determined that levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, rose after sound exposure. The study found that although overall cortisol levels were lower in tinnitus patients than in non-tinnitus subjects, the amount of subjective stress they reported was significantly higher. Unsurprisingly, their tinnitus went up as well.NIH-Funded Research Goes Open Access 1/2/08
For the first time, research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - which is to say, research funded by American taxpayers - will be made accessible for free via the internet within one year of publication. Previously, research findings were available only through pricey professional journals, a problem for scientists on tight budgets. "Improved access will enable universities to maximize their own investment in research," notes David Shulenburger, Vice President for Academic Affairs at the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, "and [will] widen the potential for discovery as the results are more readily available for others to build upon." The NIH will publish research on The National Library of Medicine database, www.pubmed.gov. Read more here and here.2007
The Cutting Edge of Tinnitus Research 12/11/07
Tinnitus research took a huge leap forward when researchers discovered that most tinnitus originates in the brain, rather than the ear. Now, researchers are going straight into the brain by using surgery to try to solve this problematic condition. Researchers in Wisconsin implanted electrical stimulators directly on the auditory cortex, the area of the brain which is responsible for processing auditory signals, of eight tinnitus patients. After about twelve weeks, two had consistently quieter tinnitus, and six experienced short periods of total tinnitus suppression. Learn more about surgery to treat tinnitus or read this research abstract.Going Backward to Move Forward: Reversing Cell Development 11/29/07
What if you could reverse time? In an incredible scientific breakthrough, scientists have transformed mature human cells back into an embryonic-like state, sending the arrow of time, in the words of researcher James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin, “completely backward.” As with traditional stem cells, the hope is that these cells could someday be converted to other tissues and be used to treat a variety of conditions. For instance, conversion from stem cells to inner ear hair cells could benefit patients with hearing loss and tinnitus.
Learn more, read a scientific abstract or find a full article as a PDF.More veterans experiencing tinnitus with service in Iraq and Afghanistan 11/12/07
The New York Daily News reports that nearly one-third of veterans are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with tinnitus. Tinnitus and hearing loss are the third most common disability among all veterans, and as a result, efforts to cure, treat and prevent tinnitus in the veteran population have begun to gain proper attention.Scientist discovers second job for the inner ear's supporting cells 11/1/07
Scientists have long thought that supporting cells in the inner ear merely prop up the hearing cells, but are unrelated to hearing. Now, Dr. Dwight Bergles at Johns Hopkins University has made a new connection between these cells and hearing – a connection that may help explain tinnitus. He found that before birth, supporting cells in the inner ear release a chemical called ATP. This chemical helps the fetal brain develop the nerve connections necessary for hearing by acting as a substitute for sound. After birth, release of ATP stops as hearing develops. However, an unexpected ATP release following, for example, exposure to loud noise can possibly trigger the tinnitus sound. Learn more here and here.
Daily exposure to loud live music can damage heaing 10/18/07
A study conducted at a high school music camp in 2005 found students' sound exposure exceeded the guidelines of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by as much as 400 percent. NIOSH sets 85 decibels over eight hours as a maximum daily sound dose. A study of the marching band at Duke University in 2003 reached similar conclusions.Op-Ed on community noise 10/5/07
Written by an anthropology student, this article, while focusing primarily on the fact that loud music played by one person impacts many others around them, makes a good point about tinnitus at the end.New study on cell phones and hearing loss 9/24/07
According to new research presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s Annual Meeting, long term cell phone use can lead to high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus.The Sound of Silence 9/14/07
In the October 2007 issue of Men’s Journal , Dr. Craig Kasper, member of ATA’s NYC Fundraising Council, and Dr. Billy Martin of Oregon Health Sciences University talk about ways you can manage your tinnitus and prevent futher damage. ATA is the expert source on the incidence and dangers of developing tinnitus.
ATA featured as a top resource for Audiologists 9/14/07
A recent press release issued by ATA, was highlighted by ADVANCE for Audiologists. It is currently featured in their Tinnitus Resource Center as part of some of the latest in industry news.Talking about Tinnitus 9/14/07
On August 29th, Dr. Billy Martin of Oregon Health Sciences University was featured on an hour long program called Health Talk. He discusses tinnitus as a chronic illness and ways of managing tinnitus.Hearing loss high among musicians 6/07
Musicians suffer a higher incidence of hearing loss than people who are not exposed to noise, a new study confirms. The study says that musicians' hearing thresholds are worse across almost the entire range of human hearing and that hearing protection devices are effective in reducing the risks to hearing health. Read more.
ATA, noise risks featured in deployment guide 4/07
ATA is the go-to source in this article from the AmeriForce Deployment Guide, delivered to all service members deployed overseas. The article focuses on extreme noise dangers military members face on a battlefield's frontlines. Read the article here, courtesy of AmeriForce Publishing, Inc.
Gabapentin Ineffective for Tinnitus Relief 4/19/07
The medication Gabapentin is no more effective than a placebo in alleviating tinnitus, reports researcher and ATA Scientific Advisory Committee member Dr. Jay Piccirillo, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. Read more.
Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment – patients report improvement 4/07
Patients reported rapid and profound improvement in the severity of their tinnitus in an Australian clinical trial testing this music-based treatment. Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment combines acoustic stimulation with a structured program of counseling by a clinician trained in tinnitus rehabilitation. Read more.
Diminished quality of life in seniors with tinnitus 3/07
For a large cohort of older adults, there is a clear association between tinnitus and reduced quality of life, according to this recent study. Researchers based the study in part on the premise that, in its more severe forms, tinnitus can be accompanied by depression, anxiety, insomnia, headaches and concentration problems, all of which can diminish quality of life. Read more.
Psychological disturbances – Ménière's disease, vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss: A report from Italy 3/07
Patients with Ménière's disease and those who have significant, similar symptoms – vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss – often experience psychological disturbances. This study investigates the relationship between Ménière's disease and personality traits, illness behavior, depression and anxiety. Read more.
Tinnitus patients report relief after receiving cochlear implants 2/07
Read about this Italian study involving 20 adult patients, evaluating the effect of cochlear implants on the evolution of tinnitus. Read more.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help tinnitus sufferers 1/07
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can have a significant, positive effect on the way people cope with their tinnitus. Here's a summary from Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates health-related research. Read more.
2006
Patients rate the severity of their tinnitus 12/06
Forbes news brief – Patients whose tinnitus is very loud also report severe distress. Read more.
Earbuds vs. your hearing 1/06
Portable music players can reach rock-concert sound levels – and can wreak havoc with your long-term hearing. Read more.
2005
The concert is over but the ears are still playing 12/05
This fascinating Rolling Stone article discusses the risks of hearing loss and tinnitus most musicians face. Peppered liberally with quotes from celebrity musicians with tinnitus, the piece wraps up with hearing protection tips. Read more.
“Quieting the noise” 6/05
A Los Angeles Times feature tells one woman’s moving story about how she copes daily with severe tinnitus. Read more.
“Listen up (if you can)” 6/05
Field & Stream’s informative article tells why hunters should always use hearing protection. Read more.
