New Tinnitus Treatments Being Researched

Tinnitus is not yet fully understood, nor is there a cure for the ringing in the ears. This is a frustrating reality for many patients, and we’re still not yet at the stage of an FDA-approved golden bullet treatment. That’s largely because there has been a lack of funding and research in the field. But, this is the end of the bad news. 

The good news is—things are changing. With over 30 million Americans affected by tinnitus symptoms and millions more worldwide, the need for a cure has become even more urgent. Recently, there has been a noticeable surge in funding and research to understand tinnitus better and find innovative ways to treat its symptoms.

Understanding the potential of these new treatments will require time and research, but many patients feel a sense of optimism knowing experts are working towards a solution for the phantom sounds. With that understanding, new tinnitus patients can also manage their expectations, and prepare themselves for long-term tinnitus treatment. These are some of the new tinnitus treatments currently being researched, and the potential they hold for tinnitus patients:

Migraine Medications 

Many patients with tinnitus also suffer from migraines, which leads researchers to believe there may be a link between the intense headache symptoms, and the tinnitus symptoms. They discovered nearly half of patients experiencing tinnitus symptoms also experience migraine headaches and we do know these two conditions share some of the same neural pathways and symptom triggers. Researchers theorize that targeting these same neural pathways could possibly be the key to finding a treatment to ease tinnitus symptoms as well. 

This is especially promising because there are already many FDA-approved medications for treating migraines, with many more already in the works. Currently, researchers at the University of California Irvine have begun to explore the effectiveness of four different medications in treating tinnitus symptoms: nortriptyline plus topiramate and verapamil plus paroxetine. However, while the results of this study are not yet available, we are hopeful that these results will show promise for the future of migraine medication use in tinnitus treatment as well.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

We do know tinnitus isn’t entirely a hearing issue, and that the ears may be completely healthy despite the phantom sounds. Thus, researchers have begun to attack the problem from another angle: the brain. The belief is that there’s a disruption or abnormality in the auditory brain, and the way it interprets auditory signals. By focusing treatment to these particular areas of the brain associated with tinnitus onset could tinnitus sufferers see a reduction in tinnitus symptoms? Electrical stimulation is a non-invasive treatment approach used to do so.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a well-established form of non-invasive electrical stimulation that uses constant, targeted currents to treat neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and addictions, chronic pain, as well as movement and language disorders.  

A new study from the University of Zurich proposes coupling tDCS with acoustic stimulation, specifically the use of white noise for long-term tinnitus treatment. They believe this could be more effective at temporarily relieving tinnitus when compared to acoustic stimulation on its own, an already established treatment for tinnitus, called Sound Therapy. Transcranial direct current stimulation may also have the potential to reverse the maladaptive neuroplasticity causing the condition. In other words, it can retrain the brain to ignore the phantom sounds or abnormal stimuli, as they trigger the body’s fight or flight systems unnecessarily. 

This is not a new concept, as previous research has indicated that simultaneous electrical and acoustic stimulation can be more effective than just electrical stimulation on its own. This new study’s combination of tDCS and white noise builds on this concept, with the advantage of enhancing the brain’s receptivity to acoustic stimulation. Unlike other novel tinnitus treatments, tDCS offers the potential for more user-friendly, potentially outpatient treatment options that could be covered by insurance. It may also reduce depression caused by tinnitus symptoms.

Sound-Based Treatment

Sound therapy  has proven to be one of the most effective treatment approaches for tinnitus, and researchers continue to explore ways to make it more useful and customizable for patients. An exciting study from Toronto Metropolitan University explores reducing tinnitus-induced stress and anxiety with this treatment approach. 

There are different types of sound therapies available, and patients are encouraged to use whatever sounds bring them the most relief, whether that’s curated nature sounds in a tinnitus app, or the sound of their fan in the background. Usually, this is a trial-and-error process, as it’s not clear why some sounds work better than others. The researchers compared music-based sound therapy to white noise, another type of sound therapy that works for some patients but not others. 

After six weeks, the researchers concluded that patients with other mental health conditions like anxiety are more likely to benefit from music-based sound therapy as they can mask tinnitus sounds and help them manage stress at the same time. Stress and tension have been linked to worsening or triggering tinnitus symptoms. Previous research also shows that music can have a positive effect on mental health conditions like anxiety.

The plan is to develop a machine language algorithm that produces music to match the patient’s current mood. This means that it will adjust the tonal cues accordingly to be more soothing as needed, and keep the listener relaxed. This may be useful for reducing stress and tension, which has the domino effect of reducing tinnitus symptoms. 

Commercial Lidocaine Patches

There’s an important distinction to be made regarding medication and tinnitus which sometimes confuses tinnitus patients: Even though there’s no medication specifically for tinnitus, we know that treating tinnitus might mean using medication to treat the underlying condition causing those symptoms. Lidocaine is one such medication. Lidocaine is a type of anesthesia that reduces pain by blocking signals at nerve endings. It can be used in creams, gels, throat sprays, or by injection.

Lidocaine is sometimes used when the suspected cause of tinnitus is an arrhythmia, where the ears are overly sensitive to the change in blood flow. Treatment can involve lifestyle changes, implantable devices, surgery, or a lidocaine IV or injection directly to the middle ear. Lidocaine injections have also been used to address tinnitus linked to Meniere’s Disease.

Lidocaine appears to target the central pathways that connect to the cochlear nerve and cause tinnitus. Commercial lidocaine patches present a safer approach, particularly due to their side effects when used in the middle ear. An ongoing study from the University of California Davis is investigating whether lidocaine, when applied via a skin patch, can lessen tinnitus symptoms. The idea with lidocaine patches is to allow for a more steady absorption of the lidocaine over a controlled period and reduce the side effects associated with rapid absorption of the anesthesia. 

This seems like a promising treatment, given what we already know about lidocaine’s effectiveness in treating tinnitus, but it’s still unclear whether applying it topically will reduce the negative effects sufficiently for commercial patches to be considered a viable option. 

Current Evidence-Based Treatments

There’s an exciting and constantly growing field of research in treatments for tinnitus. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait years for treatment options to become available. The specialists at Treble Health recommend these evidence-based techniques for reducing short and long-term tinnitus symptoms:

• Tinnitus retraining therapy – Tinnitus Retraining Therapy TRT is widely considered one of the most effective tinnitus treatments. It combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), with sound therapy, which on their own, are considered effective management techniques. TRT curates the most useful aspects of these treatments to individual patient needs, to teach the brain to live alongside the phantom sounds. 

• Lifestyle changes– Reducing stress can help with managing tinnitus symptoms. We recommend Mindfulness-based stress reduction, combining exercise (yoga), with guided breathing, stretching, and other strategies to improve mental wellness. Patients are also encouraged to eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid vices such as alcohol and smoking which can worsen tinnitus.

• Hearing aids – Hearing loss is one of the leading causes of tinnitus. In fact, hearing health is one of the first things doctors check when patients complain about tinnitus sounds. Hearing aid technology helps to improve hearing health and experience, and can also mask tinnitus sounds with special tinnitus features. 

• Avoiding silence – It may seem like hearing sounds is your enemy, but avoiding it entirely can backfire and worsen tinnitus. Instead of depriving the brain of auditory stimulus (which can force it to fill in the blanks), experts recommend giving the brain something more pleasing to focus on besides the phantom sounds. Using background sounds when indoors can help promote habituation. 

• Professional treatment of underlying conditions– When the cause of the tinnitus symptoms is clear, like an ear infection, head/neck trauma, or impacted wisdom teeth, then the best treatment approach is usually that of the underlying condition. This can mean medication, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, or even surgery.

Treat Tinnitus Today With The Treble Health Team

There’s still a long way to go as far as many of these new tinnitus treatments are concerned. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t successful treatment options available today.

Get started on a personalized path for treating your tinnitus with help from the Treble Health team. A quick 20-minute consultation with our talented team of specialists offers a free assessment of your tinnitus case, an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your tinnitus to an audiologist and a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. This way, you can find what works for your tinnitus sooner.