Recent Advances in Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be the most debilitating symptom faced by people with hearing impairments. In the past 10 years, there has been a large increase in tinnitus research and in the development of clinical protocols. New animal models and physiological procedures provide an important contribution to the understanding and measurement of tinnitus. The annoyance of tinnitus likely depends on its loudness and the psychological makeup of the patient. The loudness of a person's tinnitus can be compared with the equivalent loudness of a 1000 Hz tone in a normal ear. Several questionnaires have recently been introduced to quantify the handicap caused by tinnitus. Tinnitus maskers are apparently ineffective for most patients but they can be helpful in a few patients. Medications are largely ineffective in reducing tinnitus in most people. However, several psychological techniques for reducing the stress associated with tinnitus are currently under investigation, and preliminary results show some promise. Tinnitus can be reduced by electrical stimulation in a few patients, and this is also an important area for future research.