Tuning out tinnitus
March 2013
For the 20% of New Zealanders with tinnitus, some relief could be on the way.
Tinnitus is a phantom noise heard in one or both ears, which is not caused by any external sound. It’s commonly described as ringing, hissing, buzzing, clicking or humming.
At Auckland University’s School of Population Health, tinnitus expert Dr. Grant Searchfield is studying the effect of ‘multisensory integration’. A team is creating a computer programme that uses the eyes, ears and sense of touch to train people to ignore the internal buzzing. ‘We know that the other senses can influence hearing. If you’ve been given a visual image, you may hear something different, or if the sound occurs with a vibration, it will seem louder.’
Auditory training alone is known to ease tinnitus, and including the other senses appears to enhance the effect. The programme also uses a low dose of a common drug. ‘It’s a bit like cross-training for athletics – we’re improving the overall performance.’
Collaborators on the multidisciplinary project, which is a world-first, include psychologists, brain researchers, engineers and pharmacists. Although not a cure, the treatment could bring significant benefits after three weeks. Trials began in 2013, and it could be generally available within two years.
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