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New Drug Promises Relief from Tinnitus

Depression, Somerset, hearing loss, Ear wax removal Somerset, Ear wax removal Devon, Ear wax removal Taunton

New Drug Promises Relief from Tinnitus, Epilepsy

 

New Drug Promises Relief from Tinnitus, Epilepsy

Neurophysiologists at the University of Connecticut (UConn) have discovered a new drug that may prevent tinnitus and treat epilepsy by selectively affecting potassium channels in the brain. According to an article in the June 10, 2015 edition of The Journal of Neuroscience, Anastasios V. Tzingounis, PhD, and colleagues say that both tinnitus and epilepsy are caused by overly excitable cells that flood the brain with an overload of signals that can lead to seizures (epilepsy) or phantom ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

The authors report that roughly 65 million people worldwide are affected by epilepsy. While exact statistics on tinnitus are not easy to determine, the American Tinnutus Association estimates that two million people in the US suffer from disabling tinnitus.

Anastasios V. Tzingounis, PhD

Anastasios V. Tzingounis, PhD, University of Connecticut

According to Tzingounis and co-authors, the existing drugs available to treat epilepsy don’t always work and can have serious side effects. One of the more effective drugs, retigabine, helps open KCNQ potassium channels, which serve as the “brakes” that shut down the signaling of overly excited nerves. Retigabine, however, has terrible side effects and is usually only given to adults who don’t get relief from other epilepsy drugs. The side effects of retigabine include sleepiness, dizziness, problems with hearing and urination, and a disturbing tendency to turn patients’ skin and eyes blue.

In 2013, Tzingounis began collaborating with Thanos Tzounopoulos, PhD, a tinnitus expert at the University of Pittsburgh, to create a new drug candidate. The new drug, SF0034, was chemically identical to retigabine, but included an extra fluorine atom. Originally developed by SciFluor, the company wanted to know whether the compound had promise for treating epilepsy and tinnitus.

Thanos Tzounopoulos, PhD,

Thanos Tzounopoulos, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

Tzingounis and Tzounopoulos thought the drug had the potential to be much better than retigabine in treating both conditions. They first had to determine if SF0034 worked on KCNQ potassium channels the same way retigabine does, and if so, if it would be better or worse.

The co-authors explain in their article that KCNQ potassium channels are found in the initial segment of axons, long nerve fibers that reach out and almost touch other cells. The gap between the axon and the other cell is called a synapse. When the cell wants to signal to the axon, it floods the synapse with sodium ions to create an electrical potential. When that electrical potential goes on too long, or gets overactive, the KCNQ potassium channel kicks in. The result is that it opens, potassium ions flood out, and the sodium-induced electrical potential shuts down.

In some types of epilepsy, the KCNQ potassium channels have trouble opening and shutting down runaway electrical potentials in the nerve synapse. Retigabine helps them open. According to the authors, there are five different kinds of KCNQ potassium channels in the body, but only two are important in epilepsy and tinnitus: KCNQ2 and KCNQ3. The problem with retigabine is that it acts on other KCNQ potassium channels as well. That’s why it has so many unwanted side effects.

When testing SF0034 in neurons, the researchers found that it was more selective than retigabine. It appeared to open only KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 potassium channels, and to not affect the KCNQ 4 or 5 potassium channels. The research showed that SF0034 was more effective than retigabine at preventing seizures in animals, and it was also less toxic.

The results are promising, and SciFluor plans to start FDA trials with SF0034 to test its safety and efficacy in people. Treating epilepsy is the primary goal, but treating or preventing tinnitus is a secondary goal.

Source: UConn; Medical News Today

Photo credits: University of Connecticut; University of Pittsburgh; © Skypixel | Dreamstime.com

January 9, 2021/by admin
https://ear-wax-removal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ear-wax-removal.co_.uk-ear-wax-removal-hearing-aids-Bath-Bristol-Somerset-Devon-Honiton.jpg 360 640 admin https://ear-wax-removal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/earwax-removal.png admin2021-01-09 17:19:512021-01-09 17:21:07New Drug Promises Relief from Tinnitus
Devon hearing centre, Hearing loss

New report in deafness therapy Devon

Honiton hearing, Keynsham hearing

New report in deafness therapy Devon

New report in deafness therapy has been reported by a new scientific paper. Here at the Honiton hearing centre are keen to keep up with the latest information to keep our patients informed.

Below is what was reported by the hearing review recently. 

High-pressure Oxygen Therapy May Help Treat Sudden Deafness, Says ‘JAMA’ Study

   

Honiton hearing centre deafness experts

Bottom Line: The addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (where patients receive pure oxygen in a pressurised chamber) to standard medical treatment was associated with an improved likelihood that patients who experience sudden deafness might recover all or some of their lost hearing, JAMA Network announced on its website. Sudden deafness, also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), is hearing loss that happens within a few days and often has no identifiable cause. This study combined the results of 19 studies, including three randomised clinical trials, and suggests a greater benefit of adding the hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be associated with those patients who have severe to profound hearing loss and who failed to recover after standard medical treatment. A limitation of this study is that because a substantial number of patients with SSNHL will spontaneously recover, the benefits of treatment may not have been accurately evaluated.

Devon hearing centre

Authors: Tae-Min Rhee, MD, DMO/UMO, National Maritime Medical Center, Changwon, Republic of Korea, and coauthors.

Original Paper: Rhee T-M, Hwang D, Lee J-S, Park J, Lee JM. Addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy vs medical therapy alone for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018. Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2704029

Source: JAMA Network, JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg

December 23, 2019/by admin
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Devon hearing centre, News

Devon ear wax removal centre

ear syringing Devon, Ear syringing Exeter, Ear syringing Sidmouth, Ear syringing Teighnmouth,

Devon ear wax removal centre

Available at the Honiton hearing centre near Exeter

 

Ear wax removal doesn’t have to be a chore. We are a fully accredited ear wax removal specialist centre that covers the whole of Devon and Somerset, handily located in Honiton close to Exeter.  We are a family run business and cherish that we serve our local community, also people from a far.  We use the traditional ”Ear syringing” technique, which is actually called water irrigation and isn’t anything like a carry on film. You can watch Colin Eaton talk about ear syringing here in this video. He will explain in detail what that was all about and what is now the gold standard.

Devon Microsuction

The Gold standard these days is called Microsuction or Micro-Suction depending where you read. It is basically a very very small hoover type of device that gently sucks up the ear wax in a safer manor than hitting the ear with pressured water which they did in the bad old days. Ears are very delicate, with todays techniques the risk is a lot lower.

You can watch how Micro-Suction is performed by watching this video here conducted again by Colin Eaton who is the lead audiologist here at the Honiton hearing centre.

https://honiton-hearing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ear-syringing-mp4.m4v

Devon ear wax removal centre

We look forward to seeing you if you haven’t been here before, if you could please call Sam on reception or you can make an online booking by clicking here. 

October 9, 2019/by admin
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Devon hearing centre, Ear wax removal Devon

Devon hearing centre

ear syringing Devon, Ear syringing Exeter, Ear syringing Sidmouth, Ear syringing Teighnmouth,

Devon Hearing Centre

 

The Devon Hearing Centre is located at the Honiton hearing centre close to Exeter.

 

 A truly family owned and run hearing centre for Devon. Specialising in ear wax removal using the Microsuction technique. Honiton hearing also use the traditional service of ear irrigation using warm water which for some impacted ear wax can be an easier way to remove if stubbornly in the ear. This is sometimes called ear syringing, although the syringe hasn’t been uses for some decades. It’s funny how sayings can last long after that way of doing things have long gone.

Devon hearing centre

To watch how Microsuction is used, you can watch how Colin Eaton from the Honiton hearing centre uses the equipment. It is very simply a micro hoover that attaches to the ear wax and gently removes it. No pain, no water and very quick. Click here to see the video.

 

For an appointment at the Honiton hearing centre please call Sam on reception.

 

ear syringing Devon, Ear syringing Exeter, Ear syringing Sidmouth, Ear syringing Teighnmouth,

Ear syringing in Devon at the Honiton hearing centre

 

October 3, 2019/by admin
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