Reader Patty asked if there were reports of tDCS being effective in the treatment of tinnitus. As this is an important issue to me as well, I thought I’d collect whatever related links I have to the research in one place. While the results I’ve read here seem inconclusive, if I were one of the 3% of tinnitus sufferers for whom the constant sound is extremely disturbing, I wouldn’t hesitate to try one of the protocols outlined in these studies. If you have information to share about your own experiences with tDCS and tinnitus please post them in a comment.
- [Added 11/11/2016] The Effects of Compensatory Auditory Stimulation and High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) on Tinnitus Perception – A Randomized Pilot Study “Effects of HD-tDCS could not be resolved with the current sample size.”
- Overview of current status of tinnitus treatment: Living With a Sound You Can’t Turn Off | NYT
- Comparing immediate transient tinnitus suppression using tACS and tDCS: A placebo-controlled study (gated) In regard to tDCS, our results obtained confirm previous findings that bifrontal tDCS with the anodal electrode placed over the right DLPFC and the cathodal electrode placed over the left DLPFC can modulate tinnitus annoy-ance and tinnitus loudness.
- And this just in (6/30/15 I only have the abstract) Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Tinnitus: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham Controlled Study Conclusions: Repeated tDCS sessions on the auditory and prefrontal cortex are safe, but do not improve tinnitus. Different tDCS protocols may be beneficial
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Intensity and Duration Effects on Tinnitus Suppression :2 mA for 20 minutes anodal tDCS of LTA
- Treatment of chronic tinnitus with repeated sessions of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation: outcomes from an open-label pilot study:bifrontal tDCS (anode right and cathode left) 1.5 mA, 30 min twice a week
- Transient tinnitus suppression induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation
- A tinnitus/tDCS discussion on Reddit.
- Added 7/21/15 Intensity, Duration, and Location of High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Tinnitus Relief (pdf)
- Added 11/15/15 “There were no significant long-term beneficial effects following tDCS of the left temporoparietal area.”
I’ve recently read that tRNS was more effective than either tACS or tDCS in suppressing tinnitus. I just bought a foc.us v2 which supports tDCS as well as tRNS (as well as a couple other modes like tPCS).
So I’d like to try and start treating my tinnitus this way. But I have no idea what montage to use other than maybe trying a tDCS montage for treating T.
Think this might have a chance of working ? Or might I need to find one specific for tRNS. Any idea where I could find info for treating tinnitus using tRNS?
Thanks
Where you read that tRNS was more effective, did they mention the montage they used? I’d probably start there. But basically, this is all so new that you ARE on your own. You might try posting on the tDCS subReddit in case there are others self-treating for tinnitus.