ATA TINNITUS NEWS

WINTER 2013
Compiled from the ATA Digital Newsletter and ATAs magazine, Tinnitus Today

4 Common Questions About Tinnitus

What is tinnitus? Pronounced either tin-night-us or tin-nit-is, tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external sound is present. For some people, tinnitus is just a nuisance; for others, it is a life-altering condition. Is there a cure for tinnitus? There is no cure for tinnitus. ATA exists to cure tinnitus through the development of resources that advance tinnitus research. However, in some cases, tinnitus can be managed by treating the underlying cause or by altering reactions to it. It is important to note that treatment outcomes vary depending on the specific cause of tinnitus, how long a patient has had tinnitus and other competing health factors. What causes tinnitus? The exact mechanisms of tinnitus are unknown but scientists are working hard to understand the condition and are making a lot of progress. There are several sources, all of which are known to trigger or make someone's tinnitus worse: Exposure to loud sounds or noise; head and neck trauma; certain disorders like Lyme Disease and fibromyalgia can have tinnitus as a symptom; certain types of tumors like an acoustic neuroma; wax build-up in the ears; jaw misalignment; cardiovascular disease; certain medications Can anything be done to treat and manage my tinnitus now while we all wait for a cure? The simple answer is yes, there are tinnitus management strategies that are available to tinnitus sufferers. However it is important to note that these options, do not work for everyone and do not work to the same degree for each individual patient. This is why we stress the importance of discussing your particular tinnitus situation with a qualified health professional. Join ATA and receive a listing of tinnitus treatment specialists in your area.

William Shatners Message To You

Regardless of the characters I portray on TV and on the big screen, my tinnitus once buried me in a negative place where many of you are now - or have been. Believe me when I say, Ive been there. My tinnitus began while I was filming the Star Trek episode Arena. I was standing too close to a special effects explosion and it resulted in tinnitus. There were days when I didnt know how I would survive the agony. I was so tormented by the screeching in my head I really thought I would not be able to go on. But then a ray of light burst into my life the American Tinnitus Association. The help they gave me literally saved my life. The harsh reality of tinnitus has robbed silence from the lives of nearly 50 million Americans. Whether you hear it in your ears or in your head tinnitus means the same thing: noise that does not go away. You do not suffer alone. ATA works with the best and the brightest scientists throughout the world who are investigating this terrible condition. Whats unique about ATA is that they give us all the opportunity to do something about tinnitus; they make it possible for anyone to contribute and support research that is moving us toward a cure. I believe we can achieve this goal! I encourage you to join me in making a generous donation to the American Tinnitus Association. Its dedicated staff and volunteers are here for us today, helping us live with our tinnitus and supporting innovative research. Eventually, they will bring the good news of silence back into our lives. We must band together on this journey to help fund our critically-needed association so that one day, not one single person will ever have to bear the agony and distress of tinnitus. From the bottom of my heart thank you for your help.

ATA Social Network: Get Connected Today

ATA has a strong and highly active presence on Facebook, with nearly 8,000 friends that participate on a daily basis, sharing their personal stories and connecting with others struggling with tinnitus. ATA posts breaking research news and developments, support group meeting announcements and quickly answers the communities questions about the condition. ATAs YouTube channel is filled with helpful videos created by the association, professionals in the field, veterans, musicians, ATA members and celebrity supporters like William Shatner and tennis star Jennifer Capriati.

2012 American Tinnitus Association P.O. Box 5 Portland, OR 97207 Web: ATA.org Info: tinnitus@ata.org Join: ATA.org/donate or (800) 634-8978

ATA Grant Leads to Creation of New Sound Therapy Device

In 2008, ATA funded a 2-year research grant to Fan-Gang Zeng, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Hearing Research at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Zeng and the UCI team had realized a significant clinical breakthrough using amplitude modulation. The sounds are first customized to the patients unique tinnitus by doing a frequency pitch matching process. Then with this approach, the amplitude (loudness) of the tones is very rapidly modulated, or altered, so quickly that the listener cannot consciously detect the changes. Modulated tones seem to keep the brains interest more than constant tones. Researchers believe that rather than masking, or covering up the tinnitus, these sounds are interfering with or suppressing it. The results showed that the amplitude modulated sounds were four times more likely to offer a reduction in tinnitus perception than white noise, and were the most effective out of all the tested treatment sounds. Overall, the short-term effect showed that 35% of patients received greater than 70% reduction in tinnitus perception, 35% of patients experienced a 30% to 50% reduction, and 30% of patients experienced less than 30% reduction. Many scientific breakthroughs never make it out of the university lab. Fortunately in this case, the firm Allied Minds learned of the UCIs work, licensed the technology, created a company called SoundCure and in September 2011, the company began offering the Serenade Tinnitus Treatment System to audiologists along with comprehensive training in tinnitus evaluation and tinnitus management.

ATA.org: The Ultimate Resource for You

Clinical Trials Interested in participating in a tinnitus research study? Check out the latest opportunities at ATA.org/clinical-trials for studies that you may be able to be part of. Support Group Meetings and Events Visit the Support Network section of ATA's website to find an active group or contact in your area at ATA.org/ support. Check out ATAs online calendar for upcoming meetings and special events: ATA.org/calendar. Tinnitus News ATA has been all over the national news in the past few months if you missed these exciting articles about the forward progress of research, you can read them anytime on ATA's website at ATA.org/news. Podcasts: Helpful Audio ATA has a brand new feature on its website Podcasts! To listen or download to helpful tinnitus information at the click of a button, visit our ATA.org/podcasts. Tinnitus Today Online Archive ATA members have exclusive access to a treasure trove of 20-years worth of archived Tinnitus Today articles in the online Information Archive located at ATA.org/members.

Join the ATA Community

Becoming a member of ATA allows us to expand awareness of the condition and fund necessary research. For only $40 ($55 outside U.S.) as a full member or $35 as an online member, you will join a caring community and also receive generous benefits such as: Subscription to ATA s magazine, Tinnitus Today published in April, August and December AND three supplemental electronic issues of the ATA Newsletter. Access to a downloadable version of the Progressive Tinnitus Management Program, an educational workbook that will guide you through different ways of using sound to help give you varying levels of relief for tinnitus. A listing of tinnitus health care professionals and support contacts in your area that can help you. Discounts on a variety of high-quality products and publications available in the ATA Store. Exclusive access the ATA Members Section online and access our 20+ years of archived Tinnitus Today articles.

ATA Helps Aspiring Tinnitus Researchers

Students from the 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes at Niu Valley Middle School in Honolulu, Hawaii contacted ATA this past December to see if we could help them with their project for the First LEGO League competition. The goal of the program was to have students create an innovative solution to a real medical problem, and the students chose tinnitus as their topic. The students put on a presentation that included information from ATA on current treatments and research for tinnitus, an informative and comedic skit and written materials. Their hard work paid off and the group won 2nd place in the competition! ATA sends our congratulations to the students and thanks them for helping do their part in spreading awareness of the condition in their community.

2012 American Tinnitus Association P.O. Box 5 Portland, OR 97207 Web: ATA.org Info: tinnitus@ata.org Join: ATA.org/donate or (800) 634-8978