Tinnitus, ringing in the ears, affects about 10 in every 100 people. People with tinnitus are invited to participate in a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics study looking at new treatments for the disorder. Richard Tyler, PhD, speech pathologist/audiologist at UI Hospitals and Clinics and lead investigator of the study, describes tinnitus is the perception of sound in one or both ears or the head when no external sound is present. "Many people report that their tinnitus sounds like ringing, crickets or buzzing, but tinnitus can also sound like many different things.

"The mechanisms that produce tinnitus are not well understood," Tyler says. "Things that causes hearing loss can also cause tinnitus, including noise exposure, aging, trauma and medications.

"Certainly noise exposure is the most common cause. This is important to keep in mind since it is often possible to use ear protection or reduce our exposure to loud sounds that could have damaging effects on our hearing system," Tyler says.

The most effective tinnitus treatment consists of counseling that involves explanations of hearing loss and tinnitus as well as activities focused on ways to change reactions to tinnitus and reduce the intrusiveness of the sound, Tyler says. "Many people with tinnitus also benefit from using devices that produce low-level sounds such as soft noise or music. Having background sound present often reduces the prominence of the tinnitus and helps people with tinnitus focus on other activities. There currently is no cure for tinnitus."

The purpose of the study is to compare three different ways of using background sound and counseling in individuals with tinnitus. Low-level background sounds are used to decrease the prominence of the tinnitus. The counseling helps people understand the nature, mechanisms and problems associated with tinnitus. There are additional sessions on concentration, hearing and sleep problems caused by tinnitus.

People with problematic tinnitus are invited to participate in the study. Many people have tinnitus but not all of them find that it interferes with their lives on a daily basis. People who are candidates for the study are generally those that experience frequent problems related to their tinnitus, often in areas such as sleep, hearing/communication, and concentration.

All study participants will receive the comprehensive tinnitus counseling. They will also be randomly assigned to receive one of the three types of sound therapy used in the study.

The study requires at least three visits during the first three months of the study, and follow-up visits at six, 12, and 18 months.

For more information or to enroll in the study, listeners may contact audiologist Anne Gehringer at 319-353-8760.

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