Scientists are carrying out trials on a radical new treatment that could stop tinnitus before it becomes permanent. The condition — a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears — affects an estimated 50 million Americans. For most, it’s a nuisance, but for those with severe symptoms it’s a debilitating problem with no known cure. Researchers at Newcastle University in the UK believe they may have found a way to intervene early, preventing the condition from becoming long-term. Volunteers are fitted with a soft cap — similar to a swim cap — lined with electrodes that deliver a mild electrical current to the scalp. The technique — known as transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) — has already shown promise in treating depression, migraines, and chronic pain. The treatment is painless and brief, and is thought to calm abnormal brain activity that produces the phantom ringing in much the same way a pacemaker resets the natural electrical rhythm of the heart. Testing will be completed over the next two years, but researchers are hoping that the procedure can become a new reality for many sufferers.
