An Update: Emerging Drugs for Tinnitus

I beg to differ. Tinnitus is most definitely life threatening and is responsible for many suicide attempts and completed suicides.

 

It doesnt have to be life threatening to get fast track status.

 

No, but being life-threatening certainly helps.

Yeah, do you really think that's how the majority of the world views tinnitus? Attempting suicide because of "something as insignificant as" tinnitus, you only come off as a psychiatric patient. Last week I went to the health-care centre, when I was suffering really badly and with bloodshot eyes. For the first time ever, I asked a day off (I've had tinnitus almost a decade and never missed a day), and the receptionist told me to f*ck off. Yes, as in f*ck off, there are people with real problems! Now aside from not smoking, I don't consume any alcohol - ever! - but if I did, I'm sure I'd get a lot more help! (I live in Scandinavia.)

 

No I don’t believe that’s how the world views it. Hell, my audiologists barely acknowledge tinnitus is a problem. But I’d certainly jam a screwdriver into my ear right now if I thought it would end this hell.... that’s the biggest problem. No one seems to get it, while those of us that have a bad case live in misery until we eat a bullet just to finally have some silence:

 

Suppressing the entire central nervous system to get rid of tinnitus is like trying to kill a fly using an explosive.

Targetted medicine would be better to repair the wounded cochlea, then a drug with massive side effects suppressing the entire central nervous system.

 

The problem is that most of the people in this community are normies that dont understand how the human body works.

 

“AM-101 doesn’t work”.

More opinions you have that you cast of as fact. Did you even read the papers/keep up to the date with the trials?

Do you know the problems that these trials have and how they affect outcome measures? Are you even aware that tinnitus caused by otitis media had benefited from AM-101?

The problem in the past with tinnitus drugs being investigated is proving they work and they are still investigating the proposed mechanism of action similar to AM-101.

 

Ann, I don't use Facebook.

 

Maybe a drug for another issue will have the side effect of lowering tinnitus! OMG!

 

That has happened many times in the past

 

Same old story - the condition is insidious therefore to survive it one must not expose themselves to discussing it, reading about it etc. which does help to a degree. In fact, the only recommended treatment, CBT is centered around not following that pattern of behaviour, not making it into a “thing”, not focusing on it etc.

Result - little noise and awareness raised. A form of self preservation, albeit short term, because we all know that if things were to get worse, as we age for example, that coping mechanism might let us down.

If we did not confine ourselves to this forum and champion our cause on our own social media, we’d be further into the journey of raising awareness. E.g., still stunned that in the mummy forums or online there is very little awareness on hearing protection yet there are loads of products around.

Tinnitus is not seen as a big deal yet, but it looks like lifestyle changes in our population will eventually get people to focus on it. So many kids on earphones from an early age watching their tablets...

Solution? We all devote a few days a year on championing the cause. Then get on with day to day life.

 

What is your background John? Are you a doctor or a scientist working in this area? I assume that's what you mean by 'normie' - someone who doesn't work in the field of treating/curing Tinnitus?

 

So the more people that get tinnitus the better the chances of finding a cure are?

 

Is this true?

'Could a common painkiller have contributed to Rush Limbaugh's well-known hearing loss?

Research findings suggest the radio talk-show host's apparent addiction to Vicodin could be the culprit behind his mysterious attack of deafness two years ago.

Doctors over the past several years have reported dozens of cases of Vicodin addicts who became deaf and, in some cases, only regained their hearing with the help of cochlear implants such as the ones received by Limbaugh.

"It's pretty clear that there is this association," says Dr. Jeffrey Harris, an ear specialist at the University of California, San Diego Medical School. "The ear is sensitive to drugs, and this particular association with Vicodin has become more relevant as people are getting their hands on it as a recreational drug."'

 

I would hate for anyone else to get this, however the way we are living (another runway planned in London) points to more people getting the condition unless we raise awareness which in turn will shine a light on the plight of those who already have it.

When I posted the Tinnitus Week awareness message on Facebook in February, one person shared it... not exactly gone viral...

 

I don’t see why it couldn’t be. It’s well known that things like aspirin are ototoxic (as well as damaging to the liver). Many people report temporary ringing in the ears when taking normal doses or too much acetaminophen/ibuprofen

 

which emerging potential treatments should we be following other than neuromod?

 

In a way yes, because there will be more demand (market wise) to find a cure, however we are still limited by things like you know... physics, technological advancements etc. So even if everyone got tinnitus tomorrow that wouldn't guarantee a cure anytime soon.

 

Anything promising we should follow other than the following?

• Neuromod
• University of Michigan Device
• Otonomy results in 2020/H1

 

• Frequency Therapeutics FX-322
• University of Minnesota device

 

Isn't this for hearing restoration though? Why are so many people convinced that if they fixed their hearing the tinnitus would go away? The way I see it... the chances of that happening isn't that high... From everything I have read sure, hearing loss is the main culprit in starting the tinnitus, but when it becomes chronic I think it is more of a brain issue than anything.

 

Because nearly 100% of all people who have tinnitus have hearing loss. And even those who "don't", like me, probably do. It's just not measurable in a standard hearing test (try searching for "hidden hearing loss" on the forums or Google).

Now you might say that not all people with hearing loss have tinnitus. And that's true. There are working theories to this. One is that it's not the amount of loss that makes someone have tinnitus but rather if the loss is profound in a narrow frequency range. So if you look at the curve on a person's hearing test it's not so much the loss in db's that predicts if someone has tinnitus but rather if there's a steep slope somewhere on the curve. This is believed to be due to the brain's inherent dislike for gaps in input which it then fills out by it self and VOILA...tinnitus! Pretty much the same mechanism that ensures you don't have a big hole in your vision where the Macula of the retina is.

 

I think most people want to reduce their perceived tinnitus, not to restore hearing. If the treatment does both, okay.

 

I have moderate tinnitus with spikes that are more severe and I'm way more concerned with fixing my hearing loss than my tinnitus as I can't watch TV/movies without captions and can't enjoy music at all anymore.

Both the hearing loss and the tinnitus effect me greatly but the hearing loss effects me personally a lot more since music was my heart and soul. I may be in the minority here but my priority is hearing loss first (by a mile) and if it cures my tinnitus (or at least prevents the awful spikes), bonus.

 

Yeah I agree with you on everything, but I am still not sure it will fix the tinnitus just like that.

 

I agree the 'spikes' are terrible.

 

Don’t forget Audion! The Regain project...

 

Currently compiling a list for emerging tinnitus treatments. So far I have the following:

For tinnitus directly:
OTO-313 (Otonomy)
XEN1101 (potentially)
Lenire
University of Michigan Device
University of Minnesota Device
Visual Snow Device (maybe, potentially? awaiting more information from visual snow initiative on what this is about)

Hearing loss restoration:
FX-322 (Frequency)
CGF-166 (Genvec/Novartis)
LY3056480 (Audion/Regain)
OTO-6XX (Otonomy, further into the future)

Hidden hearing loss:
OTO-413

Potential treatments in the very far future:
Refined deep brain stimulation (what Neuralink wants to achieve)

Did I miss anything?

 

There is a new device coming out for vertigo, which seems to help tinnitus:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/head-mounted-device-for-motion-sickness-reduces-tinnitus.36129/

 

Dr. Tzounopoulos' RL-813