The Sounds in Your Head

16. August 2011 by Cape Cod Chapter HLAA Blog.

Download October “Cape Ears” Newsletter

Download November “Cape Ears” Newsletter

TINNITUS! Some 50 million people suffer from this disorder and it is finally being addressed by both national and international scientists. On October 22^nd, Jennifer Melcher, Ph. D., an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary, shared some of the current knowledge in a fascinating and informative talk.

For the uninformed, the term “tinnitus” is described as the perception of sound when no sound is present. Dr. Melcher prefers the term “tinnitus condition” which is not just the sound you hear, but a lot of other stuff that is going on along with that sound. Hyperacusis is a second condition often attached to tinnitus, whereby sounds that are normal to most people become abnormally loud to others. Sufferers of tinnitus are frequently unable to lead a normal life due to depression, disruption of sleep, inability to work and sometimes even suicide. It occurs with hearing loss but also with normal hearing and is rarely curable, but there are ways to treat the symptoms.

After this background information, with the use of slides, Dr. Melcher provided an in-depth description of the auditory system showing how sound moves from ear to brain. Any problems along this path could result in hearing tinnitus, particularly if hair cells are broken.

She also pointed out besides the ear, auditory system and brain there is the somatosensory system to contend with. For instance, if there is a tensing of the head and neck muscles, it will affect your tinnitus. Somehow, the hearing centers use information from these muscles and link directly to the auditory system. Tinnitus causes distress. Distress causes tinnitus.

If the ear is unstimulated by an outside source, it will make sounds up. Tinnitus can be heard as buzzing, whirring, chimes, music, all sounds the brain has heard before and remembers. Tinnitus is the noises of something to fill in. Examining only participants with clinically normal audiograms but chronic tinnitus, Dr. Melcher’s group are studying the condition with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in order to actually see brain function by putting in sound, raising the sound by degrees and watching the brain responding. By this method, they can distinguish between tinnitus with hyperacusis, tinnitus without hyperacusis, etc.

Because the brain is not separate parts, new tests are discovering just how connected the different brain areas are and the way that affects how you hear tinnitus. (Connectivity analysis) All of the testing shows there are many kinds of tinnitus which will require varied forms of treatment. Dr. Melcher summarized, “the (scientific) field has a sense that there are ways to get at the tinnitus. The question is how to do it for that person.” Or, “no magic bullet” as she says.

There are a few treatment studies in other countries. One, from Germany, called transcranial magnetic stimulation, involves a coil placed in different locations in your head which excites the cortex (currently not understood) and may result in a reduction of tinnitus. Another extremely new treatment from Belgium puts a little stimulator on the vagal nerve, which controls neurotransmitter release in the brain. This is mostly done for depression and is FDA approved. A fairly minor surgery, there appears to be some benefit.

During the robust question and answer period we learned that yes, tinnitus and migraine headaches are connected as well as Meniere’s disorder, biofeedback is questionable and acupuncture has been some help. Scientists are working on regrowing cochlea hair cells as well as the auditory nerve fibers that connect the hair cells to the brain. At present, loud noises will probably, if not definitely, cause hearing loss and hearing aids cannot be fitted for tinnitus.

Dr. Melcher was a whirlwind of information and it was indeed a privilege to have her speak to our group.

Coming soon–a summary of our September meeting with Dr. Perry Ebel of Beltone. His talk was called :  “The Future is Now!  Advancements in Hearing Aid Technology”

Posted in hearing loss information, meetings | Print | No Comments »