Tinnitus Clinical Trials 2023
Tinnitus studies recruiting patients for novel treatments. Filter by phase, distance, and inclusion criteria to find your perfect tinnitus clinical trial in 2023.
What Are Tinnitus Clinical Trials?
Tinnitus is an auditory disease symptom associated with ringing, buzzing, or whooshing in one or both ears. More than 200 conditions are associated, including ear infections. Though tinnitus may be a temporary symptom of an acute condition, this auditory condition is permanent for one in eight individuals. It is experience by more than 25 million Americans each year.
Although it commonly presents as ‘ringing in ears’ tinnitus can manifest many different perceptions of sounds. It can be both an acute and chronic health condition.
Clinical trials for tinnitus aim to find drug therapies that desensitize the auditory system, thereby inhibiting the perception of the ringing sound. However, there are no reliable prognostic tools to determine the severity of a patient's tinnitus. Therefore, tinnitus clinical trials rely exclusively on patient interviews.
Why Is Tinnitus Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?
Despite the first cases of tinnitus dating back to 1600 BC, scientists are yet to find a cure for this condition. It is thought that the complexity of the auditory system and the mysterious etiology of tinnitus are the reasons why curing tinnitus has proved so challenging.
An estimated 30% of the global population experience this perplexing condition at least once in their lifetime. Therefore, further research about tinnitus's etiology, management, and prophylaxis is significantly valuable.
What Are The Types of Treatments Available For Tinnitus?
Although there are currently no treatments available to cure tinnitus, it can be managed in several ways. Hearing aids, cochlear implants, and wearable sound generators assist in alleviating the ringing noise so that patients may live better alongside their condition.
Tinnitus is associated with changes in mood, sleep, and concentration. Therefore, behavioral therapies play an essential role in the management of tinnitus patients. Such therapies include counseling patients about ways to live alongside their condition and initiating antidepressants to balance secondary mood disorders.
What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Tinnitus?
In recent years, scientists have made substantial strides in tinnitus research. Some of the most notable research includes the following:
2018: Using auditory-somatosensory bimodal stimulation to desynchronize brain circuitry and reduce tinnitus – Researchers at Michigan University have created a device that utilizes carefully timed sounds and electrical impulses to target touch-sensitive neurons in the brain. This treatment aims to steer damaged neural tissue involved in tinnitus back to normal function.
2020: Bimodal neuromodulation combining sound and tongue stimulation – In a study at the University of Minnesota, researchers showed that concomitant electrical stimulation of the tongue and sound stimulation effectively reduced tinnitus. Furthermore, these therapeutic outcomes could be sustained for up to 12 months.
Who Are Some Of The Key Institutions Conducting Tinnitus Clinical Trial Research?
The Lauer Tinnitus Research Center
The Lauer Tinnitus Research Center, launched in 2015 by Massachusetts General Hospital, is responsible for ground-breaking research on cochlear nerve repair, inner ear imaging, and the brain's involvement in tinnitus. Furthermore, this institution aims to address the diagnostic problems associated with tinnitus by developing testing strategies.
About The Author
Michael Gill - B. Sc.
First Published: October 6th, 2021
Last Reviewed: February 19th, 2023