Revealed: The radical new therapy that can silence tinnitus and stop it in its tracks – before it becomes long term or even permanent

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, even when no external sound is present – affects an estimated 7.6 million people in the UK.

For most, it is a nuisance. But for 1.5million with severe symptoms it is a debilitating problem with no known cure.

Researchers at Newcastle University believe they may have found a way to intervene early, preventing the condition from becoming long-term.

For what is thought to be the first time, a trial is targeting patients whose tinnitus has only recently developed.

Volunteers are being fitted with a soft cap, similar to a swimming hat, lined with electrodes that deliver a mild electrical current to the scalp.

For 1.5million people with severe symptoms, tinnitus is a debilitating problem with no known cure

The technique, known as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has already shown promise in treating depression, migraine and chronic pain. It involves placing two electrodes – one on the forehead and another at the back of the head – to deliver a steady, low current to brain areas involved in processing sound and touch.

The treatment is painless and brief, and is thought to calm abnormal brain activity that produces the phantom ringing of tinnitus – in much the same way a pacemaker resets the natural electrical rhythm of the heart.

Dr Will Sedley, a neurologist at Newcastle University, explained: ‘When tinnitus develops, nerve cells in the auditory system start firing when they shouldn’t. Those signals are then interpreted by the brain as sound. What we want to do is retrain the brain cells around the tinnitus to stop, or at least reduce, the amount they keep firing or activating.’

Previous studies suggest that once tinnitus persists for more than a month there is an 80 to 90 per cent chance that it will become permanent.

The Newcastle team reasoned that stimulating the brain early may ‘reset’ these signals before the condition takes hold.

Launched in July, the trial has so far enrolled six volunteers, with another 94 expected over the next two years. All participants developed tinnitus within the past two months. Half are receiving ten 40-minute sessions of tDCS followed by sound therapy, while the other half receive a placebo version with only a faint current.

The current is around two milliamps – only slightly stronger than you would get from applying an AA battery to the skin. ‘Volunteers often feel a tingling sensation, similar to touching a battery with your tongue,’ added Dr Abishek Umashankar, another Newcastle researcher.

However, experts say that applying a battery to the skin would not have the same effect as it is a different type of current.

Early results are encouraging: of the first five participants to complete treatment, four reported their tinnitus was ‘significantly better and quieter’ by the end.

Dr Sedley said: ‘We don’t know for certain if that’s a treatment effect or spontaneous improvement, but it is far higher than we would normally expect in a trial.

‘These results are really promising. Many with tinnitus are told they just need to learn to live with it, but you can’t simply choose to ignore it. We want to do better than this. We need to do better.’

Some earlier research has looked at deep brain stimulation (DBS) – a surgical procedure that involves implanting a device with electrodes deep inside the brain to deliver electrical impulses.

DBS is already used to help control movement problems in people with Parkinson’s disease, a neurological condition that causes tremors and stiffness. Doctors noticed that some patients who underwent DBS also reported an improvement in their tinnitus, which led to small trials.

In one early study, most who had electrodes placed in a brain region called the caudate nucleus said their tinnitus symptoms improved significantly.

However, DBS carries risks such as bleeding and infection, and there is still uncertainty about the best part of the brain to target. As a result, it remains experimental for tinnitus and would only be considered for extreme cases.

By contrast, the Newcastle trial uses a safe, non-invasive approach that could potentially be rolled out more widely if proven effective.

For now, some lifestyle measures can help ease tinnitus.

A 2024 study found a third of patients who practised mindfulness for two months reported reduced symptoms, while another showed people who exercised more than two-and-a-half hours a week saw improvements.

Salt, alcohol, caffeine and foods high in natural plant chemicals called salicylates – such as coffee, avocados and blueberries – may make symptoms worse.

But the Newcastle team, who are still recruiting volunteers, believe their work could mark a turning point – stopping tinnitus before it becomes permanent.

‘Tinnitus research has progressed rapidly in the past few years,’ said Dr Umashankar. ‘Our work helps us understand why it persists and how we can stop it in its tracks. I’m really hopeful this can become a new reality.’