http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/tinnitus/ Read about the latest medical research on tinnitus. Find out about new treatments. en-us Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:05:01 EDT Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/tinnitus/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903134211.htm Hearing loss due to cochlear damage may be repaired by transplanting human umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cells. This study, using animal models of chemical and auditory cochlear damage, found that when transplanted stem cells migrated to the damaged area, "surprisingly few" transplanted cells were necessary to help repair sensory hair cells and neurons. Researchers say transplanting umbilical cord stem cells provides hope for the repair of human hearing impairments rising from cochlear damage. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903134211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080828220515.htm Scientists have created a biophysical methodology that may help to overcome hearing deficits, and potentially remedy even substantial hearing loss. The authors propose a method of retuning functioning regions of the ear to recognize frequencies originally associated with damaged areas. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080828220515.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814154321.htm Ear infections are a painful rite of passage for many children. New research suggests the damage caused by chronic ear infections could be linked to people's preference for fatty foods, which increases their risk of being overweight as they age. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814154321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430140349.htm Ever since Ernest Moore's ears began ringing with tinnitus, he has been researching a cure. There's a lot riding on his work. Tinnitus is the top disability of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, caused by the noise of explosive devices. Moore, a former soldier and an audiologist, is doing cutting edge research with zebrafish that may offer a solution as new funding from the Department of Defense opens up. Fri, 02 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430140349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425151819.htm Shape matters, even in hearing. Specifically, it is the shape of the cochlea -- the snail-shell-shaped organ in the inner ear that converts sound waves into nerve impulses that the brain deciphers -- which proves to be surprisingly important. A direct link was found between the cochlea's curvature and the low-frequency hearing limit of more than a dozen different mammals. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425151819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425164738.htm A patient who is completely deaf in his right ear, he still can hear from that side. A sound processor he wears just behind his right ear converts sound waves into tiny vibrations that move through his skull. The vibrations are detected by his good left ear, so it sounds to him like he can hear from both sides. A new study has found that this system of conducting sound through skull bone is a big boost to people who are deaf in one ear and can't be helped by hearing aids or cochlear implants. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425164738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212144504.htm A healthy ear emits soft sounds in response to the sounds that travel in. Detectable with sensitive microphones, these otoacoustic emissions help doctors test newborns' hearing. A deaf ear doesn't produce these echoes. New research shows that, contrary to the current scientific thought, the emissions don't leave the ear the same way they entered. Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212144504.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113212.htm A new study has revealed that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners containing the active ingredient triethanolamine polypeptide oleate condensate (10%) can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. "Because some of these products are readily available to the public without a consultation with or prescription from a physician, it is important to make sure they are safe to use. Our study shows that in a well-established animal model, one such product, Cerumenex, is in fact, toxic to the cells of the ear," says Dr. Daniel of The Montreal Children's Hospital. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110114501.htm Baby boomers know all too well that "ringing in the ears" often comes with aging and hearing loss. Tinnitus can be the buzz that somatosensory neurons from the head and neck, like too many phone callers, create when they overcompensate for lost auditory signals from the ear, an animal study suggests. This nimble response to hearing loss, in which neurons adapt to changed conditions, is an example of the brain's "plasticity." Results in animals suggest that acupuncture and trigger point therapy may be effective treatments for people plagued by tinnitus. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110114501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101093825.htm Phantom noises, that mimic ringing in the ears associated with tinnitus, can be experienced by people with normal hearing in quiet situations, according to new research. Tinnitus, an auditory perception that cannot be attributed to an external source, affects at least 36 million Americans on some level, with at least seven million experiencing it so severely that it interferes with daily activities. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101093825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192056.htm Researchers can show the way to new cochlear implant technology. They researchers found that two neurotrophin proteins in the cochlea -- brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 -- figure prominently in the relay of sound messages to the brain. The research is showing precisely how these multidimensional proteins operate in the cochlea. Their findings could lead to a new generation of cochlear implants. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071115083707.htm Our brain is very good at picking up speech even in a noisy room, an adaptation essential for holding a conversation at a cocktail party, and now we are beginning to understand the neural interactions that underlie this ability. Investigations using neuroimaging have revealed that the brain's left hemisphere helps discern the signal from the noise. Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071115083707.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071031152922.htm Brain scientists have discovered how cells in the developing ear make their own noise, long before the ear is able to detect sound around them. The finding helps to explain how the developing auditory system generates brain activity in the absence of sound. It also may explain why people sometimes experience tinnitus and hear sounds that seem to come from nowhere. Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071031152922.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071011140215.htm Researchers have discovered a hearing mechanism that fundamentally changes the current understanding of inner ear function. This new mechanism could help explain the ear's remarkable ability to sense and discriminate sounds. Its discovery could eventually lead to improved systems for restoring hearing. The tectorial membrane, a gelatinous structure inside the cochlea of the ear, is much more important to hearing than previously thought. It can selectively pick up and transmit energy to different parts of the cochlea via a kind of wave that is different from that commonly associated with hearing. Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071011140215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071005185125.htm For the more than 50 million Americans who experience the phantom sounds of tinnitus -- ringing in the ears that can range from annoying to debilitating -- certain well-trained rats may be their best hope for finding relief. Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071005185125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070928221928.htm It is estimated that more than 50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus, a condition where the patient experiences ringing or other head noises that are not produced by an external source. This disorder can occur in one or both ears, range in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal, and may be continuous or sporadic. This often debilitating condition has been linked to ear injuries, circulatory system problems, noise-induced hearing loss, wax build-up in the ear canal, medications harmful to the ear, ear or sinus infections, misaligned jaw joints, head and neck trauma, Ménière's disease, and an abnormal growth of bone of the middle ear. Sun, 30 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070928221928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070925081429.htm In a breakthrough that will likely accelerate research aimed at cures for hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems, scientists have perfected a laboratory culturing technique that provides a reliable new source of cells critical to understanding certain inner-ear disorders. Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070925081429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070830150056.htm Mild to moderate forms of hearing loss can have a lasting impact on the auditory cortex, according to new findings. The results showed that the projection to auditory cortex had changed following a brief period of hearing loss. Specifically, the researchers found that the synaptic response of the auditory neurons adapted more rapidly and to a greater extent. They also found that auditory cortex neurons became more sensitive to stimulation. Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070830150056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070803151105.htm Thomas Lynch, age 2, is now able to hear on both sides of his head with a new device and surgical procedure. Born with no ear canal on his left side, Tom had significant hearing impairment and went to Loyola University Medical Center, where Dr. Sam Marzo surgically implanted a bone-anchored cochlear stimulator that delivers sound to the inner ear by bone conduction. Sat, 04 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070803151105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070717014327.htm Your ability to listen to two things at once is an important communication skill that's heavily influenced by your genes. The finding may help researchers better understand a broad and complex group of disorders called auditory processing disorders. Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070717014327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070703172421.htm Patients with the genetic disorder von Hippel-Lindau disease may suddenly experience hearing loss because of a tumor-associated hemorrhage in the inner ear, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070703172421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070626091425.htm It is estimated that between 10 and 17% of the population has suffered tinnitus at some time in their lives, according to a number of international studies. Tinnitus is understood as the perception of noise in the ears or inside the head although there is no external source of sound, without any vibratory cochlear activity taking place (which occurs when an external noise is produced). Sound therapy is a treatment option with promising results. Wed, 27 Jun 2007 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070626091425.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070614082041.htm Researchers have discovered a way to transfer genes, which they hope will restore hearing, into diseased tissue of the human inner ear. This important step brings scientists closer to curing genetic or acquired hearing loss. Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070614082041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070607171036.htm Researchers have, for the first time, used a "bionic" ear to restore hearing in a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease. They say this advance offers new hope for individuals with the rare disorder, which can produce non-malignant tumors in ears, as well as in the eyes, brain, and kidneys. Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070607171036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070405170200.htm Recent research suggests new ways of treating hearing loss. Scientists have isolated "cochlear stem cells" located in the inner ear and already primed for development into ear-related tissue due to their proximity to the ear and expression of certain genes necessary for the development of hearing. Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070405170200.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070402101924.htm A vaccine has been shown to help reduce the number of infants and toddlers developing frequent ear infections, according to new research. Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070402101924.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070314134729.htm On the battlefield, a soldier's hearing can be permanently damaged in an instant by the boom of an explosion, and thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq have some permanent hearing loss. But what if soldiers could take a pill before going on duty that would prevent damage to hearing? Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests a medicinal form of hearing protection may someday be a possibility. Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070314134729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070213081731.htm Nature has outfitted us with a pair of ears for good reason: having two ears enhances hearing. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are now examining whether this is also true for the growing numbers of deaf children who've received not one, but two, cochlear implants to help them hear. Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070213081731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070218131439.htm As a leader in stem cell-based research on the inner ear at the Stanford University School of Medicine, he's got a step-by-step plan for making this dream a reality. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070218131439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070214221229.htm For those who pumped up the volume one too many times, UC Irvine researchers may have found a treatment for the hearing damage loud music can cause. Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070214221229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070128140554.htm Psychotherapy may help tinnitus suffers cope with the life disturbances that sometimes accompany their condition, according to a new review of studies. Tinnitus is a sensation of ringing or other noise when there is no external cause for the sound. A counseling method called cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT seems to amplify patients' quality of life, even when the volume of the noise remains the same. Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070128140554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070119103829.htm Early insertion of ear tubes in otherwise healthy infants and young children with persistent fluid in the middle ear does not improve developmental outcomes up to nine to 11 years of age, according to results of an important study at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC led by otitis media researcher Jack Paradise, MD. Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070119103829.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061219095607.htm Clinical characteristics of tinnitus such as duration, consistency and other factors influence the way individuals perceive loudness and annoyance associated with the condition, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Wed, 20 Dec 2006 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061219095607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061212091817.htm Many toys available this Christmas could damage your child's hearing according to the UK-based charity Deafness Research UK. Working with researcher Dr. Brad Backus from University College London (UCL), the charity tested the noise levels produced by a selection of toys available to buy this Christmas. Tue, 12 Dec 2006 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061212091817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061206095322.htm During last year's NHL playoffs, Edmonton Oilers' fans tried to earn the title of loudest arena in the game, but new University of Alberta research shows that even a few hours of exposure to that level of noise can be harmful. Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061206095322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061019093727.htm A new analysis of iPods and other portable, digital music players by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder and Children's Hospital in Boston has produced the first-ever detailed guidelines for safe listening levels using earphones. Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061019093727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060923105412.htm Children with cancer who suffer hearing loss due to the toxic effects of chemotherapy might one day be able to get their hearing back through pharmacological and gene therapy, thanks to work done with mouse models at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Mice with a variety of genetic mutations that disrupt different parts of the ear will also help scientists understand age-related hearing loss in adults, as well as hearing loss caused by long-term exposure to loud noise, according to the researchers. Sat, 23 Sep 2006 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060923105412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060816012531.htm Whether high-speed dental tools contribute to hearing loss is the subject of a study currently underway in the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic and the School of Dentistry. According to Robert Folmer, Ph.D., one of the study leaders, published research is mixed about whether high-speed dental tools contribute to noise-induced hearing loss over time. Wed, 16 Aug 2006 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060816012531.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060521104430.htm Rapid, uncontrollable eye movements that swish and thump as the eyes roll and blink. Bones that creak as the body moves. Sudden dizziness, loss of balance. Falling down after a loud noise, such as the sound of your own voice, a cough or even laughter. These are hallmarks of a debilitating and relatively rare syndrome known as superior canal dehiscence that has stumped clinicians for a long time. Sun, 21 May 2006 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060521104430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060510000025.htm For decades, hearing experts thought that the cochlea's spiral shape was simply an efficient packing job and its shape had no effect on how this critical hearing organ functions. But a recent study by researchers at Vanderbilt and the National Institutes of Health calls this conventional wisdom into question. They have created a mathematical model of the cochlea that finds the spiral shape acts to enhance the low frequency sounds that we use to communicate with one another. Thu, 11 May 2006 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060510000025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060428141422.htm MGH researchers have made important progress in their ongoing effort to regenerate the inner ear's hair cells, which convert sound vibrations to nerve impulses. Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060428141422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060419074816.htm Fast tracking the healing process for common ear infections will be the focus of ground-breaking research by WA's Lions Ear and Hearing Institute (LEHI). Wed, 19 Apr 2006 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060419074816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060316092230.htm A rare frog that lives in rushing streams and waterfalls of east-central China is able to make itself heard above the roar of flowing water by communicating ultrasonically, says new research funded in part by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The research may provide a clue into why humans and other animals also have ear canals: to hear high-frequency sounds. Thu, 16 Mar 2006 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060316092230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060310101636.htm Individuals with chronic, moderate tinnitus do more poorly on demanding working memory and attention tests than those without tinnitus, according to research conducted at the University of Western Sydney. Fri, 10 Mar 2006 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060310101636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060212182434.htm Researchers have linked a hormone known to adjust levels of key brain chemicals to the quality of our hearing as we age. The more of the hormone aldosterone that older people have in their bloodstream, the better their hearing is, and the less of the hormone, the worse their hearing is. Sun, 12 Feb 2006 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060212182434.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060106134554.htm New research suggests that years of repeated exposure to loud noise increases the risk of developing a non-cancerous tumor that could cause hearing loss. "It doesn't matter if the noise comes from years of on-the-job exposure or from a source that isn't job-related," said the lead researcher. Mon, 09 Jan 2006 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060106134554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050902065723.htm Hearing-impaired individuals with severe to profound hearing loss and poor speech understanding who possess some residual hearing in one ear may experience significant communication benefit from a cochlear implant even if it is placed in the worse-hearing ear, a Johns Hopkins study suggests. Sat, 03 Sep 2005 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050902065723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/08/050819124431.htm New research findings detail how sensory hair cells in the ear develop unique shapes that enable the perception of sound. The development of cochlea and hair cells is dependent on a genetic pathway called the PCP (planar cell polarity) pathway. Fri, 19 Aug 2005 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/08/050819124431.htm