Recent advances in tinnitus research mean that there are exciting times ahead, as a greater understanding of the causes of tinnitus leads to the development of more effective treatments for the condition.
Mark Williams, The Tinnitus Clinic’s Principal Audiologist, writes:
“Tinnitus research has never been so vibrant. There is still much to be done but solace can be taken in the fact that there have never been so many quality research teams working to cultivate an advance in our understanding of this, often underestimated, disorder.”
“Recent advances have been made in the understanding of human brain activity to reveal that tinnitus is fundamentally a neurological condition which, for the majority of cases, is brought about by hearing loss. This new understanding has enabled the development of targeted therapies, such as Acoustic CR® Neuromodulation, that seek to normalise brain activity. The continuation of translational research, which seeks to directly influence medical practice, is vital to enable the evolution of new tinnitus therapies.”
All biomedical research is costly so it is vital that investigations focus on fulfilling patient and clinician priorities. The Tinnitus Clinic has been working in collaboration with The James Lind Alliance (JLA) and the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) in the distribution of a patient survey that will contribute to identifying priorities for future, UK-based, tinnitus research. We look forward to reviewing the survey results and reporting on how this will impact UK tinnitus research priorities in the near future.
