Described as a ringing, ringing, or ringing in the ears, tinnitus affects around 749 million people worldwide, according to 2022 research published in the journal. JAMA Neurology. The study also showed that approximately 14% of the world’s population has experienced tinnitus and more than 2% have severe tinnitus. However, there is a lack of treatment options. Now a new study suggests that relief may be possible.

A double-blind randomized clinical trial of a device intended to silence tinnitus phantom sounds conducted by researchers at the Kresge Institute for Hearing Research at the University of Michigan has shown promising results. The findings were published in JAMA Open Network.

The study involved people with somatic tinnitus, a form of the condition in which movements such as jaw clenching result in a noticeable change in the pitch or loudness of sounds experienced, according to the University of Michigan. health lab. About 70% of tinnitus sufferers have the somatic form.

Participants were required to use a portable device developed and manufactured by in2 being, LLC, for home use. The device was programmed taking into account each participant’s tinnitus spectrum, which was combined with electrical stimulation to form a bisensory stimulus, according to the statement. Each week, participants completed the Tinnitus Functional Index, or TFI, and the Tinnitus Disability Inventory, or THI, which are questionnaires that measure the impact tinnitus has on their lives. Their tinnitus loudness was also assessed during this time.

The researchers found that when participants received the bisensory treatment, they consistently reported improved quality of life, lower disability scores, and significant reductions in tinnitus loudness. More than 60% of the participants also reported a significant reduction in tinnitus symptoms after six weeks of active treatment, according to Health Laboratory.

“This study paves the way for the use of personalized bisensory stimulation as an effective tinnitus treatment, bringing hope to millions of tinnitus sufferers,” said Susan Shore, PhD, professor emeritus in Michigan Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology and in the Departments of the UM. of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, she said in the statement.

The findings are consistent with an earlier study by Shore’s team, which showed that the longer participants received active treatment, the greater the reduction in tinnitus symptoms.