Many people are bothered or even made miserable by persistent or recurring noises that no one else can hear. The official name for this condition is tinnitus, but is often called ringing in the ears. But the sounds heard may be rumblings, crackles, clicks, whistles, or other noises that interfere with hearing or with their concentration. A study has found that electromagnetic pulses to the brain may help people with tinnitus.
Researchers tested transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for tinnitus. TMS uses an electric current running through a coil placed on the scalp generates a magnetic field that affects nearby brain cells. TMS is already approved as a treatment for depression. Sixty-four patients with serious tinnitus were randomly assigned to receive either one pulse per second of TMW or a sham treatment on 35-minute sessions over 10 consecutive business days. In the next 6 months, the participants were asked to fill out questionnaires about the severity of their tinnitus.
Fifty-six percent of the patients who received the real magnetic treatment said their tinnitus improved by the end of the treatments compared to 22% of those who received sham treatments. At the end of the 6-month follow-up, 66% said their tinnitus had improved compared to 38% who received the sham treatment.
Side effects for TMS include jaw movements or eye twitching, which can be controlled by reducing the intensity of the magnetic pulses. Previous studies of TMS in treating tinnitus did not find any benefit.
There are many causes for tinnitus, including nerve damage, build up of ear wax, depression, certain medications, and head injuries, but the most common cause is hearing loss that resulted from overexposure to loud noises. If there is an underlying cause that can be corrected, tinnitus can be stopped or minimized, but other treatments include hearing aids cognitive therapy that helps sufferers get used to the noise.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
