Tinnitus remains one of otology’s greatest, most challenging, and unsolved clinical problems. In this episode of the BackTable ENT Podcast, Dr. Hamid Djalilian, professor of otolaryngology at University of California Irvine (UCI) and chief medical advisor of NeuroMed Tinnitus Clinic, joins guest host and fellow otologist Dr. Walter Kutz (UT Southwestern) to discuss contemporary tinnitus therapy.
First, Dr. Djalilian shares how he became interested in tinnitus research. After observing how migraine and tinnitus share many similar triggers, he hypothesized that increased central sensitivity underlies both diseases. He successfully adopted migraine management strategies for his tinnitus patients and found great clinical success. After sharing pathophysiologic similarities between the two diseases, Dr. Djalilian expounds on how he evaluates and treats tinnitus and results of recent clinical trials. His discussion includes lifestyle modifications, medication, and emerging devices for electric stimulation of the inner ear. Finally, he advises listeners to think of tinnitus as a treatable condition, rather than something patients have to live with.