Researchers at the University of Buffalo (UB) are studying to learn if there is a specific area of the brain that is responsible for the sounds associated with tinnitus.

Having studied tinnitus for the past ten years, these scientists will study the brain signals they believe are responsible for creating the phantom sounds of tinnitus. The research uses animal models previously developed at UB. The clinical study is currently being conducted at UB’s Center for Hearing and Deafness under the direction of Richard Salvi, Ph.D.

Dr. Salvi and colleagues found that when the brain’s auditory cortex receives reduced auditory signals from the cochlea (the hearing organ), due to damage or aging, it causes a part of the brain to “turn up the volume,” experience as hissing or ringing. A major goal of the research is to try to identify the neural signature of tinnitus. In other words to find what aberrant pattern of neural activity in the auditory cortex of the brain is associated with the onset of tinnitus.

Those who live with tinnitus on a daily basis have found individual methods for minimizing the incessant noise they hear through the use of other distracting and/or complimentary sounds. The effort is known as tinnitus masking.

Methods employed to dim tinnitus noise range from high tech hearing-aid-like devices designed to match tinnitus frequencies to less costly and pragmatic ideas such as cracking the car window when on the freeway or leaving the radio on a night while attempting to fall asleep. 

Purchasing sound generators that can play various ambient sounds in a room such as ocean waves on a beach or a waterfall has helped many. These calming sounds have been shown to be helpful as a sleep aid… with or without tinnitus.

Now a website, SimplyNoise.com, provides white noise online, free. White noise commonly contains every audible frequency at approximately the same intensity, resulting in a ‘hissing’ sound.  An interactive volume slider at the website allows each individual to find their own comfort level. According to the site, white noise can aid sleep, enhance privacy, block distractions, mask tinnitus and soothe migraines.

Brent Curtis

A study published in The Laryngoscope March of this year by researchers from the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MUHC) showed that certain over-the-counter eardrops for softening earwax can cause severe inflammation and damage to the inner ear and eardrum.

Earwax softeners are used to breakup and disperse excess wax and were created for individuals who complained of discomfort or even deafness from wax buildup blocking their ears.

The research team at MUHC studied the impact of Cerumenex on hearing, overall toxicity in the outer ear and changes in the delicate hair cells of the inner ear in chinchillas. They found harmful effects occurred after only one dose. Based on the well-established animal model which researcher state has a similar hearing mechanism to humans, their finding suggest that Cerumenex has toxic potential and should be used with caution.

While Cerumenex is sold over-the-counter in Canada, it a  prescription is required in the US. The safest course is always to ask your ENT doctor first before using any “over-the-counter” medications that are put directly into your ear.

Hearing health is getting on the government’s radar. Hearing loss and tinnitus are the number one disability experienced by veterans coming out of the Iraq and Afghanistan war. 28 million Americans suffer from some type of hearing loss, and 500,000 to 750,000 Americans have severe to profound hearing impairment or deafness.

Healthy Hearing 2010, part of the NIH’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders is dedicated to helping people improve and protect their hearing health. They have identified eight objectives for reducing the problems caused by hearing loss. The hearing objectives are:

• Increase the number of newborns who get their first hearing test before they’re one month old. Children found to have a hearing loss should get additional testing before they’re three months old, and should be enrolled in rehabilitative services by the time they are six months old.
• Research tells us that babies who are born deaf or hard-of-hearing have a better chance of learning how to use language if the hearing loss is found immediately after they’re born and if they learn a spoken or signed language as early as possible.
• Decrease the number of ear infections in children.
• Ear infections are the number one reason for all doctor and emergency room visits by infants and children. The cost of ear infections to the American public is enormous–roughly $5 billion a year for medical expenses and lost wages. For many children, ear infections tend to occur again and again. When a child has an ear infection, he or she won’t be able to hear clearly, which can interfere with speech and language development.
• Increase the number of deaf or hard-of-hearing people who use rehabilitation services and adaptive devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
• In today’s world, people must be able to communicate with others as well as understand how to use technology. Technological devices are available now that can help children and adults who are deaf or hard-of-hearing be successful in society and the workplace. In addition, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides technological assistance to deaf and hard-of-hearing infants and older children to help ensure they receive a quality educational experience alongside their hearing peers.
• Increase the number of people who schedule periodic hearing examinations.
• Some forms of hearing loss appear later as a child grows and develops. For this reason, not only should children have their hearing screened at birth, but they should be tested and diagnosed any time a hearing loss is suspected. This is also true for adults. Children also should have their hearing tested before they enter school.
• Increase the number of people who are referred by their doctor for a hearing evaluation and, if needed, treatment.
• The referrals depend on a number of factors, including the type of hearing loss, the age at which hearing loss occurs, the services available in a community, and a family’s preferences.
• Increase the use of ear protection devices and equipment, such as earplugs or earmuffs.
• Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) happens when sensitive parts of the inner ear are damaged from being exposed to harmful sounds. The damage is caused by sounds that are too loud, or by loud sounds that are too close or that are heard over a long period of time. NIHL is 100 percent preventable, but once it happens, the hearing loss is permanent. Earplugs and protective earmuffs will protect your hearing when you are exposed to loud noise. NIHL is one of the most common occupational injuries and the second most self-reported type of occupational illness or injury. Industries that have high numbers of workers exposed to NIHL include agriculture, mining, and construction.
• Reduce the number of children, teenagers, and adults suffering from noise-induced hearing loss (objective 7 and 8 combined).
• About 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous levels of noise every day and 10 million Americans already have hearing loss from noise. Sounds that can cause damage include a chainsaw (110 decibels, or dB), ambulance siren (120 dB), 12-gauge shotgun (165 dB), hair dryer or gas-powered lawn mower (90 dB), and a rock concert or fire-cracker (140 dB). Regular exposure to 110 dB for more than one minute risks permanent hearing loss. More than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure to 100 dB also is damaging. Prolonged exposure to any noise above 85 dB can cause gradual hearing loss. Healthy People 2010 highlights the efforts of WISE EARS! ® , an NIHL prevention and education campaign led by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disor-ders (NIDCD) in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Summertime and the living is noisy. It is a time for mowing lawns, riding motorcycles, going to rock concerts, and setting off firecrackers. Any of which are capable of causing tinnitus and hearing loss.

According to Andrew Cheng, M.D., an ENT and clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology at New York Medical College, “Noise is probably the most common occupational hazard facing people today, however, outside of work many people participate in recreational activities that can produce harmful noise that can result in tinnitus with repeated exposure.”

Decibels are the unit of measure for noise, rating on a scale from zero to 140; the higher the number of decibels, the louder the noise. “Tinnitus or hearing loss occurs with regular exposure at 110 decibels or more for periods longer than one minute.

Some typical summer sounds and their decibel levels are: mowing the lawn (80-90 decibels); riding motorcycles (110); rock concerts (120); exploding firecrackers (150); watching fireworks (130 to 190).

Protect your hearing by avoiding excessively loud noises when possible — but when exposure to loud noises or activities cannot be avoided you can take a few simple precautions:

• Alternate noisy activities with periods of quiet.
• Use earplugs or other hearing protectors when you know you are going to be exposed to loud noises for long periods of time (like while mowing the lawn or watching your town’s July 4th fireworks display).
• Limit lengthy periods of loud noise exposure, which includes giving your ears a break from iPods and other devices.
• Be a smart consumer: when buying outdoor equipment for the yard, for instance, look for those with the lowest noise levels.

There’s more distressing news concerning the hearing health of young adults… this time from down under. According to a  survey hearing loss and tinnitus among the “IPod” generation is reaching extreme levels.

Apparently more than 70% of young adults in Australia – between 18 and 24 – have tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, which is the first sign of hearing loss. According to a new survey from Australian Hearing, headphones are to blame.

According to News.com.au, Professor Harvey Dillon, director of the National Acoustics Laboratory at Australian Hearing, said that younger respondents had a poor understanding of hearing loss. 25% of them thought that damaged ears would repair themselves and hearing would return.

“Older Australians, I might add, were much wiser, almost none of them thought that,” said Dillon on Fairfax radio.

He said that when people go to noisy parties and concerts the damage happens in two stages – both in the inner ear. One is temporary, one is permanent.

“We tend to notice the temporary loss of hearing and we notice it come back over the next day or two. What we don’t notice is that at the same time, in the same place but through a different mechanism, there’s also a permanent loss going on. A few hair cells dying here, a few hair cells dying there and they add up from time to time.”

According to Dr John D’Arcy, headphones can be used safely. He urges people to set the volume at a level which allows the user to hear someone at arm’s length without them having to shout.

With Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s recent diagnosis of glioma, a malignant brain cancer, the debate about the use of cell phones has been reignited. Last week, three prominent brain surgeons told Larry King on CNN that they do not hold cell phones against their ears.

According to an article in the June 3, 2008 edition of the New York Times Health Section, the three surgeons, Dr. Keith Black of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA, Dr. Vini Khurana at the Australian National University, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta of Emory University and CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, all said they either use a headset or use the phone in speaker mode to remove it from their ears and reduce microwave radiation exposure.

CITA, the wireless association’s industry trade group states that “the overwhelming majority of studies…show that wireless phones do not cause a health risk.” However, the FDA has noted that the average period of phone use in the studies was about three years and they don’t address questions about long-term exposure. The studies also did not distinguish between casual and heavy use.

As we have pointed out in a previous article, cell phone use has been associated with acoustic neuroma, a type of brain tumor that causes tinnitus. The other types that are also suspected to be due to cell phone use are glioma, the type Sen. Kennedy developed, and cancer of the parotid, a salivary gland near the ear.

Last year the American Journal of Epidemiology published data from Israel finding a 58% increased risk of Parotid gland tumors among heavy cell phone users. Also, A Swedish analysis of 16 studies in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine showed a doubling of risk for acoustic neuroma and glioma after 10 years of heavy cell phone use.

Some doctors say the real concern is not older cell phone users, who began using phones as adults, but children who are beginning to use phones and face a lifetime of exposure. Young people are much more affected. Their brains are growing rapidly and their skulls are thinner.

It is highly advised for all people to use a headset or set the phone on speaker mode. And to restrict cell phone use among young people.

Barry Keate

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It’s summertime and for many that means vacation, and vacations often mean flying. As millions of Americans prepare to take flight this summer, taking care of you ears and hearing health ranks top on the list of things to remember.

According to a survey conducted by Deafness Research UK, 70% of those who fly will experience some kind of health-related problem and ear pain ranks number one, with a whopping 34% experiencing ear pain during a flight. Many ear problems are avoidable with good ear hygiene and regular check-ups,  Once on the plane, there are things you can do to minimize ear pain if you are unlucky enough to suffer any discomfort.

According to Vivienne Michael, CEO of Deafness Research UK, “Ear pain in the air can ruin many people’s holiday before it has even started. More worryingly, it can lead to much more serious hearing problems in people who have a bad cold when they fly. We want holiday-makers and regular flyers to be aware of how common this is and the simple things you can do, like yawning or swallowing regularly, to ease the pain.’ Most discomfort results from changes in cabin pressure and these are most noticeable as the aircraft descends. During descent, the air in the middle ear is at a lower pressure than the air in the cabin. The Eustachian tubes, which pass air from the nose into the middle ear when you swallow, may become blocked with mucus, and the small muscles in the throat which normally open them may not be able to do so. The eardrum is pressed inward and tensed, resulting in discomfort, and even pain.”

The top ten most common minor medical problems people experience while flying are:
1. Ear pain (34.3%)
2. Swollen feet or ankles (18.8%)
3. Aching joints or muscles (18.8% – as above)
4. Stress, anxiety or ‘air rage’ (14.9%)
5. Dehydration (10.1%)
6. Extreme fatigue (8.1%)
7. Dizziness or fainting (5.5%)
8. Sickness or nausea (4.9%)
9. Toothache (2.5%)
10. Hyperventilation (2.5%)
(28.6% of people have never experienced a medical problem while flying).

Brent Curtis – Editor

Students from Carnegie Mellon University have come up with a novel idea of a glove named Handtalk that converts hand movements into text,  allowing the deaf to better express themselves.

A long way from being perfected, Handtalk glove is worn on the hand by the deaf or mute person and depending on the variation of movement, the device will convert it intelligently into text and display it on a mobile phone for the another person to read.

The high-tech glove senses movements through flexor pads which detect the different patterns of motion and the way the finger curls. The device can sense carefully each resistance and each movement made by the hand. Currently the device can convert only 32 words, but depending on the success of this device few more additional words may be added later onto this expressive system.

Designed for individuals who cannot interpret American Sign Language the glove along with their cell phone would allow for rudimentary communication. Senior computer engineering students Bhargav Bhat, Hemant Sikaria and Jorge L. Meza , demonstrated the prototype May 8th at Carnegie Mellon’s “Meeting of the Minds” expo of undergraduate research projects. The Handtalk glove could be a big advantage” for hearing-impaired people, Mr. Bhat said. “It would cut out the need for an interpreter.”

The glove works in a unique way. When it is first held in the fist it greets ‘Good morning’ and when one extends the index finger, second finger and thumb, the device responds ‘I’m having a good time’ and hold out the index finger, little finger and thumb, The Handtalk glove will courteously respond as ‘Thank you for your time’. The inventors of this device give us a strong hope that this polite and humble invention can reach the hands of the needy as soon as possible.

Brent Curtis – Editor

Michael Seidman, MD and colleagues are conducting a clinical trial on the effectiveness of electrodes implanted directly into the human brain for the treatment of severe, disabling tinnitus. He has implanted the first two patients in a projected series of twelve surgeries. Results of the first two surgeries were reported in the March, 2008 issue of The Laryngoscope. The study is closed as all twelve participants have been chosen.

Patient 1 was a 50 year old male with hearing loss as the primary cause of tinnitus. The result of the surgery was sustained reduction to near elimination of tinnitus. Patient 2 was a 40 year old female who suffered tinnitus as a result of a motor vehicle accident. The surgery resulted in an unsustained reduction of tinnitus. The researchers have concluded that the perception and annoyance of tinnitus may be modulated or reduced through electrical stimulation of the auditory cortex.

A previous article on electrical stimulation can be seen in our Tinnitus Library. Interested people can sign up for our free monthly email newsletter, Quiet Times, located in the right-hand column of our homepage. The complete article on Electrical Stimulation for Tinnitus Treatment will be broadcast in the July, 2008 issue.

Barry Keate