Veterans Administration Tinnitus Care Update...

[GM]

I read this today at work in an electronic military retiree newsletter...could have positive impacts for us all...

VA Tinnitus Care Update 02: Scientists from the University of Texas announced in the scientific journal Nature that they have found a way to treat chronic tinnitus. Tinnitus, a chronic ringing in the ears is the most common service connected disability for enlisted Air Force retirees and veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan The VA pays approximately one billion dollars ($1 billion) a year for service connected disability payments for tinnitus. Doctors believe that over 23 million Americans suffer from some degree of this condition including 10% of seniors and a whopping 40% of veterans.

The scientists believe that it is caused by the brain failing to adjust to nerve damage caused to exposure to loud or continual noise. Michael Kilgard, the co-author of the study said: ―Brain changes in response to nerve damage or cochlear trauma cause irregular neural activity believed to be responsible for many types of chronic pain and tinnitus. We believe the part of the brain that processes sounds- the auditory cortex-delegates too many neurons to some frequencies and things begin to go awry.‖ The treatment (so far successful in rats) electronically stimulates the Vagus nerve (which runs from the brain to the abdomen) while playing a high pitched tone. Human clinical trials are expected to start in the next several months. This technique called VNS is already used to treat approximately 50,000 people with epilepsy or depression. If the trials are successful this would be the first treatment that would eliminate rather than just mask tinnitus. [Source: TREA Washington Update 14 Jan 2011 ++]

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.highlighthealth.com/neurological-disorders/nerve-stimulation-stops-the-ring-of-tinnitus-in-rats/

Gary

[keithk]

And how do they know the rats have tinnitus?

[CHD63]

Gary .....

Thanks for sending this link.  Someone else put a link in to a report on this study a couple of weeks ago, but it did not explain how in the world one could tell if a rat had tinnitus.  At least this article explains how they arrived at their conclusion.

If the tests on human beings are positive, there is indeed hope.  I just would want to be sure all possible side effects from the treatment are explored during the trials.

Stay tuned .....

Clarice

[moe]

Interesting-I'll keep watching this.
thanks