Tinnitus Research: 3 Things for June
The last few weeks have packed with exciting updates from the tinnitus research community. There’s loads out there, so here’s 3 projects that caught our eye…
Tinnitus and Sleep: Nap or not?
Tinnitus can cause us to have trouble sleeping, so a nap is a common tactic to get a bit of much-needed rest! But if you’ve ever woken up thinking your tinnitus is even louder than before, you’re not alone.
A study led by Robin Guillard was published in Hearing Research earlier this year, exploring why our perception of tinnitus often increases after naps.
37 participants undergoing six carefully monitored and measured nap sessions. Findings revealed that nap duration, snoring, and sleep apnea episodes correlated with heightened tinnitus perception. No direct link was found between these changes and somatosensory factors like jaw or neck movements, which can be associated with waking tinnitus.
To learn more about tinnitus, naps and the science of sleep, Tinnitus UK members can join Robin for a special live webinar on Wednesday 9 July and learn more about this fascinating area of science that affects us all!
Bimodal Neuromodulation shows Real-World Effectiveness
Neuromodulation has been one of the most talked-about developments in tinnitus management in recent years. Evidence to show its impact is growing, with new real-world findings published recently.
A recent study published in the Nature journal Communications Medicine provides compelling evidence supporting the effectiveness of the Lenire device in treating tinnitus in real-world clinical settings.
Conducted at the Alaska Hearing & Tinnitus Center, this retrospective chart review analysed data from over 200 patients who received 12 weeks of treatment with Lenire, a bimodal neuromodulation device that combines sound therapy with electrical tongue stimulation.
Results indicated that 91.5% experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in tinnitus, and 89.2% reported benefiting from the treatment. These outcomes align with previous clinical trials, supporting the case for Lenire’s effectiveness.*
On the horizon: Tinnitus Care in the UK
As many of us have experienced, the standard of tinnitus care across the UK can vary wildly! So what’s being done to help?
Suzie Pratt, Clinical Lead for Adult Audiology, is conducting a study to explore the experiences of registered clinicians specialising in tinnitus treatment. The research aims to enhance understanding and improve care strategies for individuals with tinnitus.
Suzie’s work echoes themes from this year’s Tinnitus Week Report Raising the Alarm, which found significant gaps in care provision across the UK, and we’re looking forward to reading the results.
We want to hear from you!
As the national charity for people with tinnitus, we’re very excited to see more up-and-coming researchers like Suzie tackling the topic. And if you study tinnitus, we want to hear about it.
Tinnitus UK is home to the UK’s largest tinnitus community, so we can help share your project far and wide.
Get in touch with the team today at research@tinnitus.org.uk
*This article has not been sponsored by Lenire, and we’d tell you if it was! You can read more about our partnership with them here.