What brain mechanisms cause tinnitus and how can they be regulated?

Tinnitus (or ringing in the ears) is the perception of a sound in the ear or in the head without a real external source. It can show up as ringing, buzzing, whistling or hissing and it can vary in intensity.

This symptom affects over 749 million people worldwide (JAMA Neurology). Although it is not a disease in itself, it is associated with more than 200 conditions, from neurological disorders to emotional imbalances. In many cases tinnitus becomes persistent and influences sleep, attention and well-being.

Classic methods can bring relief, but they act on the symptoms rather than on the neuronal cause of tinnitus. Here is how each one stands on the aspects that matter.

Treating tinnitus often involves a combination of methods:

These approaches can bring benefits, but the effects tend to be variable and fragile as long as the abnormal activity in the auditory areas and in the neuronal networks associated with tinnitus persists.

Have you tried medication or sound therapy, but the noise persists? At the BrainMap Institute we use modern, neuroscience-based methods that act directly on the brain imbalances that keep tinnitus going.

Our methods, based on applied neuroscience, regulate the brain hyperactivity associated with tinnitus, especially in the auditory and emotional areas. Using real-time EEG feedback, the brain is guided to reduce its excessive activity and to restore neuronal balance. Instead of masking the sound, the method trains the brain to normalize its own neuronal activity.

Clinical studies show that neurofeedback can reduce the abnormal neuronal activity associated with tinnitus and can improve auditory perception.

The study highlights the advantages of neurofeedback in tinnitus, especially its efficacy independent of the degree of hearing loss. Patients recorded improvements confirmed both by subjective assessments and by EEG changes. The positive results remained stable for six months after treatment.

We analyze the electrical activity of the brain through a state-of-the-art neurocognitive assessment (qEEG), in order to identify the brain hyperactivity associated with tinnitus.

Based on your brain map, you receive the interpretation of the results and a treatment plan adapted 100% to your brain pattern, prepared by Dr. Alina Diana Nemeș and Clin. Psych. Alina Robu.

Your brain learns to self-regulate, reducing tinnitus and hearing imbalances. The training sessions are relaxing, non-invasive and free of adverse effects.