Reports Emerge Of Successful Trial Of New Treatment

Industrial deafness experts at Irwin Mitchell have welcomed reports of a new therapy which has been trialled on tinnitus sufferers to reduce their symptoms.

Called Acoustic Co-ordinated Reset (CR) Neuromodulation, the treatment aims to reduce symptoms by technically resetting auditory nerve cells in the brain.

The study involving 63 people, carried out at the Tinnitus Clinic in London, revealed that the therapy reduced symptoms of the hearing condition in three-quarters of the patients. There are suggestions that the treatment could soon be offered through the NHS.

A huge number of people across the UK are affected by tinnitus, which can cause ringing, buzzing and other noises in the ear. It is regarded as incurable and treatment is focused on reducing its impact on the sufferer’s life.

Workplace illness specialists at Irwin Mitchell act for people who have suffered tinnitus or conditions such as noise-related hearing loss as a result of working in unsuitable environments or the failure of employers to provide suitable work equipment.

Louise Scott, a lawyer at the firm who is also a committee member for the Birmingham  & District Tinnitus Group, said: “So many people do not often realise the huge impact that a condition like tinnitus has on sufferers.

“It very often has a huge effect on their lives and leading to sleep deprivation, depression and other problems. Sadly, there are cases where people are believed to have committed suicide as they are simply unable to cope with the condition.

“Because of this, any advance in the way that tinnitus can be treated must be welcomed and we would urge health authorities to quickly carry out further trials, as well as to consider the possibility of offering the treatment wider.

“However, better treatment also needs to go hand in hand with better prevention. It is vital that employers recognise the risks that noisy environments can pose to workers and take steps to ensure their ears are properly protected.”