Tinnitus is a condition that impacts millions of people every year, so the notion that this hearing ailment could be cured with a pill is producing a lot of excitement. A pill for tinnitus could completely revolutionize treatments and help thousands of people improve their hearing.
For the longest time, such a pill seemed like little more than wishful thinking. But new research seems to have identified one possible cause of tinnitus, as well as a related treatment that could be incorporated into gene therapy approaches. Since this treatment is still in the research phase, it’s important to keep our hopes and expectations in check–but it can’t hurt to take a peek at how this pill might work.
It’s All About the TNF-A
Experienced most often as a ringing or buzzing in your ears, tinnitus can be caused by a wide variety of underlying issues (many of which remain obscured or unknown). In that way, tinnitus has a lot in common with other hearing ailments. For some, hearing loss and tinnitus are closely linked. In other cases (though, less commonly), tinnitus symptoms will develop in otherwise healthy ears.
Often, you won’t be able to identify the root cause behind your tinnitus. And that’s one of the reasons why this ringing and buzzing has been particularly difficult to treat.
And that’s what’s so exciting about the discovery of something called TNF-A. Short for tumor-necrosis-factor alpha (who names this stuff?), TNF-A has been identified as a possible cause for some forms of tinnitus. According to the theory, TNF-A disrupts communication between neurons–and that’s what creates that ringing and buzzing in your ears.
A Pill for Tinnitus, Yes Please!
So, now that scientists have discovered this possible cause, they can start manufacturing a cure (and more importantly, a pill), right? Well, not exactly. Studies have shown that blocking TNF-A by pharmaceutical means in mice does indeed prevent tinnitus.
However, while they are useful as an analog, mice and humans are very, very different. Which means that testing in humans is still a long way off.
And there’s another complication. TNF-A may not be the only cause of tinnitus Research also suggests that inflammation of the audio cortex can cause tinnitus. Still, the idea is that you could treat either the inflammation or the TNF-A with a pill or gene therapy. But we just don’t have enough experimental data yet to know which treatment is most effective (if any) in humans. It’s a long process to go from mice to people (as, you know, it should be).
If Not a Pill, Then How Do I Get Rid of the Ringing in My Ear?
Even if there’s not a magic pill, you can still treat your tinnitus. True, chronic tinnitus isn’t technically curable (yet). But there are several treatments available that can help alleviate symptoms and flare-ups. Those treatments include:
- Masking Devices: Tinnitus usually manifests as a low-grade buzzing or ringing. A masking device is a specialized type of hearing assistance equipment. Essentially, these devices produce noise that is intended to mask the sounds of your tinnitus. The idea is that by canceling out your tinnitus, you’ll be able to hear better (and more joyfully).
- Hearing Aids: Sometimes your tinnitus seems louder because the world sounds quieter. In these cases, a hearing aid can help diminish how much you notice your tinnitus. The rest of the world will seem louder and, in a sense, overpower your tinnitus symptoms.
- Behavioral changes: There are some changes in your behavior you can make to help alleviate tinnitus symptoms. This could be something as simple as consuming less sodium (high blood pressure can exacerbate tinnitus flare-ups) to the more intensive adoption of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.
You’ll want to consult with your hearing specialist about which tinnitus treatment may be best for you. That’s the thing about tinnitus: it tends to be quite individualized. Your chronic tinnitus may not be the same as your best friend’s chronic tinnitus.
The trick, then, is finding the approach that is right for you and your symptoms. True, in the future, a pill might simplify those decisions. But just because that future isn’t here yet doesn’t mean you can’t treat your tinnitus.
