Key to the Cure: Finding out the Actual Mechanism of Tinnitus

After reading many articles, I found out that there are many hypotheses which explains the mechanism which creates the tinnitus; I mean in the case of damaged cochlea issue (due to sound exposure, stress, ototoxic drugs etc). For example:

• When hair cells are damaged in the cochlea - maybe in an effort to compensate auditory input loss - the neurons in our auditory pathway (or maybe just neurons in the auditory cortex of the brain) become "hyperactive" (fires spontaneously in a synchronized way )

• When the cochlear hairs are "bent over" due the damage, they interfere with each other and this interference is interpreted by the brain as sound, often in the complete absence of any sound

• "Endogenous dynorphins are postulated to potentiate the excitatory function of glutamate within the cochlea, mimicking the action of sodium salicylate in increasing spontaneous neural activity."

More hypotheses can be found here: http://bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/1/195.long

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Which one is correct do you think? And do you know other hypotheses ?
I think hypotheses are very important, because the correct hypothesis will pave the way to THE CURE ..

 

Well this is complicated because we are not tinnitus researchers but #2 i don't think haircells are long enough to interfere with each other

 

I think it totally depends on the case. Also I think if there was one concrete reason then the search for the cure wouldnt take so long. Many recent theories suggest that it is rather a combination of factor (because nly around 40% of people with hearing loss get T as well). For example, in depression there is still no known cure why it excactly develops - and yet in many cases it can be cured. I think it could be the same for us - some day some crazy scientists will just experiment with smth and it will work. But that of course could take years.
I have always thought it is funny that computers in a way immitate the human brain and we know so much about them but yet we do not know ourselves.

 

Yes, there are many reasons for the tinnitus. (TMJ disorders., acoustic neuroma, high blood pressure etc.) But what I want to discuss here is "damaged cochlea" issue which interests the majority of the people who have T.

Yes, just like you said, I hope that crazy scientist one day comes in and finally finds a complete cure '
I hope very soon !!
But, maybe in our discussions one of us can find the mechanism! Afterall, we are the ones who have t.

 

Yes I also realize the damaged cochlea issue but then again it also probably depends. I think all of the statements could be true perhaps and maybe it just depends on the individual? To me the idea of damaged nerves sounds most logical. I think in my case it is this one - probably if they were replaced or regrown the T would go away. But Im actually not sure whether stress and ototoxic medicines really damage nerves? Then they should perhaps also damage some other nerves - eg. create parkinson or inabilty to walk?

 

Yes, you are right. It seems too complex. So complex that nobody could find a cure. So far..
But do you know? I'm HOPEFUL.. Oneday in the near future there is going to be a cure. And I'm sure about it.

But do you know, why I'm so sure?

You probably know about "Lidocaine" issue. Controlled studies have shown that if Lidocaine is applied intravenously into patients, at the majority of the people tested tinnitus is stopped for few minutes. It's a scientifically-proven fact. Not a theory.. Of course it is a not a permanent solution and far from being a cure. But what it does shows that actually there is a "mechanism" in the brain which actually CAN stop the tinnitus with the help of Lidocaine.
That's why I'm hopeful about a cure.

 

Nah I dont know anything about it! What is it - could you tell me more?
Yes it is true that it is complex Scientists are dealing with it on different levels: there are some who try to find solutions for the cochlea nerve damage (your earlier question) and some who deal with the neurological issues (the "Lidocaine" issue). Lets just hope that one of these will work. Of course, stem cells would probably be the best since all kinds of "brain medications" have strong side effects. But im staying positive because the brain has been researched for only a few decades and yet tremendous progress has been made.
Actually, in my mind I believe that if I gave up everything I had, moved to India and trained under a yogi I would be able to get rid of it. Meditation and yoga can do amazing things to the brain.

 

Yes, Lidocaine!... The effect of Lidocaine on tinnitus was discovered by chance in 1935.
But you have to take it with an injection. Besides there are some side effects.
And the problem is that its tinnitus-suppression effect lasts only few minutes. Just few minutes. But "some" minutes! Enough for a hope for next generation drugs.

Please take a look at these links:
http://www.otocalm.com/drugs2.pdf
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00016489509139353?journalCode=oto

Yes, you are right. And brain itself is amazing, too. I will start to studying on this issue, too.
I hope we will find a cure somehow !

 

I think, for noise induced/drugs induced tinnitus - number 3 (overglutamated nerves in cochlea) . Looks like, sucessfull experiments with AM101 prove it. But of course, we cant be 100 percent sure.

 

I think people with good hearing in high frequences are more likely to get T

 

May be. Before my accident, my hearing was perfect. I was computer games artist. Biker, who induces tinnitus to me with his extremely loud motorcycle has no problem with tinnitus, because his hearing was gradually damaged by his loud job - 10 years of work with steel ( i dont know how write it in english - worker with steel or what???) His ears was still damaged and much less sensitive. And one more thing - he is asthma sufferer and he regulary takes his medicine with corticosteroids. Maybe this helps him too.

 

We may be able to find this out directly soon:
http://actu.epfl.ch/news/epfl-and-harvard-join-forces-to-diagnose-hearing-l/
http://lo.epfl.ch/cochlea

 

Thank you very much for sharing. These news really gave me another hope.

 

Yes, there are reasons to be hopeful. Neuroscience has come a long way the past few years in understanding tinnitus and its origins. Despite what the causes of tinnitus may be and there may be many, it is the changes to the audio cortex where sound from the inner is processed, that may have the key or at least the switch.

The video below is from PBS program last month that talked about Tinnitus and how a treatment for Parkinson's stopped tinnitus completely or reduced it in some people, basically a switch.

http://video.pbs.org/viralplayer/2365115719

 

Dear Erik. Thank you very much for sharing. "Good things" are happening. The cure is not far away!

 

If tinnitus was only from cochlear damage cochlear implants would theoretically have a 100
Percent success rate in curing tinnitus. It is probably a lot more complex with brain stem
Involvement?

 

The damage to the cochlear is actually increased by a cochlear implant

 

So maybe it is possible that a better cure is not 10-15 years away but could already come in lets say 5 year?

 

Im thinking that if T has to do with damage to the nerves in the cochlear then removing the person's own cochlear and replacing it means that even the few nerves that functioned before are removed and the brain is trying even harder to fill the void? The body probably knows that the implant isn't "the real thing".

 

Perhaps, but good hearing on higher freq, is not equivalent of being more prone to damage though. Performed audiograms ought to check the higher freq imo, would be interesting to check whether the general of t sufferers have a very high frq loss and compare it all

 

But isnt some hearing loss normal already at a young age? Children and teenagers can hear up to 20000 Hz whereas already young adults only hear up to 16000 hz.

 

Dont forget, many deaf or bad hearing people dont have tinnitus. In my opinion, most tinnitus suferers has noise, head injury or ototoxic drugs induced tinnitus - something, what happens in short time. Gradually induced hearing loss (by age, or some kind of slow genetic degeneration), may induce T too, but with less probability. And hissing (age induced T) is more acceptable and habituable than pure low or high pitched tones (acustic or head trauma, drugs).

 

Having good hearing in higher freqs means more, and more sensitive hair cells. I have alwaus noticed high pirched sounds when others havent, and so one time on this party bus was enough.

psuedo scientific theory, but it does make sense.

 

before tinnitus, i could hear pitches made by, for example, battery chargers (for cameras)... CRT TV's were a pain for me while other people around me couldn't hear a damn thing ! so i'll have to go with you @Erlend

 

Fascinating discussion. Haven't had time to read all the links yet, and won't until later today, but thanks for starting it, Ozzy (and I love your tag line from Michael J. Fox, by the way. He greatly inspires me as someone who accepted the fact that he had a terrible condition but still was determined to live a full, productive life and seek out whatever treatments were available to him. Not to mention his work for all who have his disorder, most of whom don't have his resources. I wish someone of his celebrity stature who had tinnitus would step forward and follow his example. Are you listening Streisand? Garrison Keillor? Clinton?)

Anyway, sorry for the side trip. My quick thought is: I think it may be possible that there is more than one root cause for tinnitus. We already know there are multiple trigger events. But I think, at least in my case, that my hair cells were damaged by barotrauma and fluid in the inner ear, which then caused my auditory nerve to start misfiring. So my best treatment hopes, I believe, are pinned not on drugs or stem cell transplants but electro-stimulation that can reset my nerve impulses, similar to what's being used for Parkinsons.

 

I think that we'll eventually find there are multiple, smaller causes to the overall perception of tinnitus. I must admit that I'm a believer in the more contemporary view, that tinnitus is "feedback" in the sense that it is your auditory system cranking up the "gain" because of lost input, due to whatever reason.

As far as why more celebrities don't support tinnitus awareness I have no idea. I think the music industry (particularly rock music, as it's the loudest live) should push a hell of a lot more awareness. They should hand out free ear plugs at rock shows. Famous people with tinnitus could donate a lot more (I'm not sure if they do or don't, but it's certainly not very public if they are). The truth is though, rock music has always been known for being loud, and it isn't edgy and cool if you are handing out ear plugs at your shows. I wish people could realize that you can enjoy rock music and protect your hearing at the same time. It doesn't make you less cool or anything, in fact it shows your awareness of a huge problem those within the industry face.

 

Earplugs, make them as cool as sunglasses this century

 

Thats a great businessidea

 

Many chargers and electronical devices give of pitches and hisses that most persons can hear.
Well, no. Two beings with equal hearing on specific frequencies may have two completely different tresholds of sensitivity. It should be tested though!

Making earplugs cool is not impossible. Some people finds it extremely cool to be in a club in the middle of the night wearing sunglasses Accessory and earplug wise, today earrings going all over the ear is trendy, so making an add on to an earplug could be the way forth .. Link aside I', serious ;D
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/...KTdj2oNimzegvQPs8eISJsJxzePutMBouKf6rnvFUEbMP

 

Actually, earrings that can be used as ear plus is a GREAT idea, Tenna! A friend told me I should bling-out my ear muffs that I wear to concerts, cover 'em with rhinestones. I just may do it.

And I agree, Hudson. It should be mandatory that ear plugs be handed out concerts and warning notices posted. I mean, we make restaurants post food handling safety certificates and have all kinds of other safety regulations.