Hidden Hearing Loss: New Clues in Understanding and Treating Tinnitus

Every 1 in 10 Americans experience tinnitus. It can show up as a ringing, buzzing, humming, or roaring in one or both ears. For some it's a mild annoyance. For others, it can impact sleep, hearing, stress, and can severely impact a person’s ability to function throughout the day. The origins of tinnitus can vary greatly but new research may provide answers in both the cause and treatment of tinnitus.

Stéphane F. Maison, a researcher at Mass Eye and Ear proposed that “hidden hearing loss” may hold the key to understanding and treating tinnitus. Researchers found that there was damage to the auditory nerve fibers, even in individuals who had normal hearing. 

Maison’s team also found that damage to the auditory nerve was often paired with hyperactivity in the brain stem. Maison hypothesized that this may be the root cause of tinnitus, as the brain stem tried to compensate for the loss of auditory nerve fibers.

Recognizing that auditory nerve damage can occur without hearing loss has led to an important shift in our understanding of tinnitus. For tinnitus sufferers, this offers new answers on why tinnitus happens and how to treat it. By better understanding the brain’s role in hearing loss, we can work towards a future where tinnitus is silenced once and for all.

Reference Article: Loss of auditory nerve fibers uncovered in individuals with tinnitus by Mass Eye and Ear 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1009360