Searching for a cure for tinnitus for 20 years Researchers at the University of Auckland are excited by “encouraging results” from a clinical trial of a mobile phone-based treatment.
The study randomly assigned 61 patients to one of two treatments, the new “digital combination therapy” Prototype or popular self-healing helper apps generate white noise.
On average, the combined treatment group (31) showed clinically significant improvement at 12 weeks, while the other One group (30 people) did not. Results have just been published in Frontiers in Neurology
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“This is more meaningful than some of our earlier work and is likely to have direct implications for future tinnitus treatments,” Hearing Associate Professor Grant Searchfield said.
The key to the new therapy is an initial assessment by an audiologist who develops a personalized treatment plan, combined with a range of digital tools, Based on personal experience with tinnitus.
“Early trials found that white noise, goal-based counseling, goal-directed gaming, and other technology-based therapies are effective Sometimes for some people,” Dr Searchfield said.
“It’s faster and more efficient, it takes 12 weeks instead of 12 months to give more people some control.”
There is no pill to treat tinnitus.
“What this therapy does is essentially rewire the brain so that the sound of tinnitus de-emphasizes the background,” said Dr. Searchfield.
Audiology researcher Dr Phil Sanders said the results were exciting, and he found that conducting trials was personally beneficial.
“65% of participants reported improvement. For some, it’s life-changing—tinnitus takes over their lives and their attention. “
Some people did not notice improvements and their feedback will inform further personalisation,” said Dr. Sanders .
Tinnitus is a hallucinatory noise, the cause of which is complex. So far, it has not been successfully treated.
While most people experience tinnitus or ringing in the ears at least occasionally, 5 percent experience distressing Degree. Effects may include difficulty sleeping, difficulty performing daily tasks, and depression.
Dr. Searchfield said seeing his patients The pain and lack of effective treatments inspired his research. “I wanted to make a difference. “
The next step will be to refine the prototype and conduct larger local and international trials for FDA approval.
The researchers hope the app will be ready for clinical use in about six months.
More INFORMATION: Grant D. Searchfield et al, A Randomized Single-Blind Controlled Trial of a Prototype of Digital Integrative Therapy for Tinnitus, Frontiers in Neurology (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.958730
Citation : Finding Breakthroughs in Tinnitus Treatment (12 Aug 2022) Retrieved 19 Aug 2022 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-08- breakthrough-tinnitus.html
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