Receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aids for Tinnitus
This study is evaluating whether hearing aids may help reduce tinnitus for individuals with normal hearing.
See full descriptionAbout the trial for Tinnitus
Treatment Groups
This trial involves 2 different treatments. Receiver In The Canal (RIC) Hearing Aids is the primary treatment being studied. Participants will all receive the same treatment. There is no placebo group. The treatments being tested are not being studied for commercial purposes.
Eligibility
This trial is for patients born any sex aged 18 and older. There are 5 eligibility criteria to participate in this trial as listed below.
Approximate Timelines
Measurement Requirements
This trial is evaluating whether Receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aids will improve 1 primary outcome in patients with Tinnitus. Measurement will happen over the course of The Tinnitus Functional index will be administered at baseline, 2-3 weeks after baseline, and 3 months after baseline.
Patient Q & A Section
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the sensation of sound or noise in the absence of any external auditory stimulus. Although many common forms of tinnitus are associated with auditory brainstem responses, some forms of tinnitus are not and these are referred to as subjective tinnitus or tinnitus with distorted perception tinnitus. Both subjective and objective forms of tinnitus are often the result of auditory disturbances. While the underlying neural pathways for both types of tinnitus are the same, there are indications that they are mediated by different neuronal circuits.
Can tinnitus be cured?
There is a large number of patients with tinnitus and there are some effective treatments for tinnitus. The best way of evaluating the long-term effectiveness of a treatment is to compare a group treated with a placebo with a similar group without treatment. To date, there have not been many such studies, and the published results are mixed. Patients who have tinnitus should seek evaluation and treatment for any cause, such as medications, that might exacerbate tinnitus.
How many people get tinnitus a year in the United States?
Based on data from a national sample of adults aged 18-59 years who had no previous hearing diagnosis, an estimated 7.2% of adults aged 18-59 years experienced tinnitus at some point in their lives. The proportion of individuals presenting with either tinnitus or hearing difficulty or both was 7.1% and 12.2% of adults aged 18-59 years, respectively.
What are common treatments for tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be treated with medications, sound therapy, and surgery, although none is effective in eliminating tinnitus. The usefulness of CBT in this setting remains controversial.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus does not occur with every abnormal hearing stimulus. An abnormal auditory perception to a specific sound may be triggered by psychological predispositions. The type of tinnitus is related to the way the external sound is perceived by the individual.
What are the signs of tinnitus?
The most common sign of tinnitus is hearing a click, ringing, hiss or crackle. An acoustic phantom noise in the environment and increased sound production by the ears are common triggers for tinnitus, especially with exposure to loud music (e.g., heavy-metal music). When tinnitus is unilateral (i.e., in one ear), hearing loss of high frequency (above 3 kHz) is often present, and is related to age. Incomplete blockage of the external ear canal by the tumor can cause a pulsatile (i.e., intermittent) sound or crackle.
Does receiver in the canal (ric) hearing aids improve quality of life for those with tinnitus?
The data provided support for the improvement of tinnitus perceived by subjects using a RIC hearing aid device when compared with the control group. Further evaluations of the long-term effect of RIC hearing aids are required to confirm these findings.
Have there been any new discoveries for treating tinnitus?
There are now more than forty randomized controlled trials looking at different drugs for treating tinnitus. The current recommendations are based on reviews of randomized trials and Cochrane Systematic Reviews. The consensus is that, if the medication doesn't work, it's better to stop taking it and try another medication. There have been very few studies that compare different pharmaceuticals (such as drugs taken to reduce ear pain or medications that relieve a number of the symptoms of tinnitus.). Some of the therapies being developed and tested are based on known neurotransmitter systems (such as antidepressants that affect norepinephrine or the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.
What does receiver in the canal (ric) hearing aids usually treat?
In general, a more severe and high degree of aural bone conduction hearing loss is associated with poorer hearing success with RIHAs, although it is difficult to understand precisely how. Hearing loss severity should be considered in all types of HI assessments for the prescription of auditory prostheses such as RIHAs.
What is the average age someone gets tinnitus?
There is a peak onset of tinnitus in the age group of 70–79 years while a decrease in symptom presentation in the age group of 15–39 years.
How does receiver in the canal (ric) hearing aids work?
Recent findings of this study confirm the clinical assumption which was recently made that the RIC does not seem to have an effect on speech perception.
Is receiver in the canal (ric) hearing aids typically used in combination with any other treatments?
Cochlear implants appear to be a preferred option for tinnitus patients, and some users experience benefits from this option. However, because this is a very significant treatment option, it is essential to seek expert input from the audiologist involved prior to considering it, and also the patient will need to be in full informed consent when consenting to this option. Hearing aids appear to be a suitable option for tinnitus patients, but the optimal fitting of both hearing aids and cochlear implants needs further investigation.