DEFINITION
TYPES
CAUSES
rTMS AND TINNITUS
SEARCH JOURNAL ARTICLES

DEFINITION

Tinnitus is the condition of “ringing” ears and other head noises that are perceived in the absence of any external noises. 17% of the general population world-wide suffers from various degrees of tinnitus. It is classified into two forms: objective and subjective.

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TYPES

Objective Tinnitus: This form is rare and consists of audible head noises perceived by sufferers. This may be the result of vascular abnormalities, repetitive muscle contractions, or inner ear damage. The sufferer might hear the pulsatile flow of the carotid artery or the continuous hum of normal venous outflow through the jugular vein when in a quiet setting.

Subjective Tinnitus: This form of tinnitus may occur anywhere from the ear canal to the brain. The sounds can range from hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, clicking or sometimes similar to a popping, or nonrhythmic beating. It can be accompanied by deafness, hyperacusis (a decreased tolerance of sound), and balance problems.

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CAUSES

• Food
  
  • Specific foods may trigger tinnitus. Problem foods include red wine, grain-based spirits, cheese, chocolate, soy, MSG, very ripe bananas, avocados, and citrus fruits.
  • Foods Rich in Salicylates
  • Aspartame
• Sudden loud noise, prolonged exposure to loud noise (music, PA systems)
• Hearing loss
• Head injury, impacted wisdom teeth
• Hypertension, atherosclerosis
• Severe anemia, renal failure, stress
• Lyme Disease: caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is generally transmitted to humans from infected tick bites. Symptoms may include fever, headaches, fatigue, skin rash (erythema migrans), and tinnitus.
• Acoustic Neuromas: a benign tissue growth that presses against the eighth cranial nerve leading form the brain to the inner ear. This nerve plays two distinct roles: 1) transmitting sound, 2) sending balance information.
• Glomus Tumors: a benign tumor or glomus body, diagnosed using a CAT scan or MRI, possibly requiring surgical removal.
• Otosclerosis: abnormal growth of bone around the footplate of the stapes (middle ear). This bone prevents vibrations from passing into the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss. Tinnitus may also be involved.
• Meniere’s Disease

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rTMS AND TINNITUS

• Low frequency rTMS on the left primary auditory cortex is used to treat this hyperexcitability disorder and reduce or relieve the ringing in the ears.
• 2 treatments per day, for 5 days is the minimal requirement to see benefits from the treatment.
• Treatment for Tinnitus is a highly targeted treatment, and patients are required to wear a swim-cap, on which specific brain mapping takes place.
• Please contact MCC staff members directly to obtain further details.

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EXCERPTS FROM PEER-REVIEWED MEDICAL JOURNAL ARTICLES ON RTMS FOR TINNITUS

• “...this study demonstrates… that it is feasible to use maintenance rTMS to manage chronic tinnitus. Maintenance rTMS might impede cortical expansion of the tinnitus frequency into adjacent cortical areas…” (Mennemeier et al., 2008)
• “An evaluation after 3 months revealed a remarkable benefit from the use of combined prefrontal and temporal rTMS treatment. These results support recent data that suggest that auditory and nonauditory brain areas are involved in tinnitus pathophysiology.” (Kleinjung et al., 2008)
• "Prolonged low frequency (1 Hz) stimulation was effective in 62.5% of patients; the effect appeared 48 h after treatment and lasted for approximately 5 days." (Londero et. al., 2006)
• "The tinnitus score was significantly improved after 5 days of active rTMS, an effect not seen after placebo stimulation." (Kleinjung et.al., 2006)
• "Following active rTMS there was a moderate improvement of tinnitus perception. Treatment effects lasted up to six months in some patients." (Langguth et. al., 2006)

Read Search journal articles on Tinnitus

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