Thoughts on DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) for Tinnitus?

Hello Dr. Nagler,

First of all thank you so much for your contributions to this forum, you are a great source of expertise and your answers are always helpful. It’s so very kind of you to take time for us on here, thank you!

I have been offered to consider taking part in a Deep Brain Stimulation trial for tinnitus. I know it’s rather risky and scary but at this point I’m rather desperate. I was wondering if you knew anything about it / what your thoughts were.

(http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.975.2344&rep=rep1&type=pdf. <— here’s an interesting study)

Thank you in advance for your reply, I really appreciate it!

Lynn

 

Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it.

Tough call there, Lynn.

In order to answer that question I would have to know a lot more about who exactly is conducting the trial, the specific risks involved, and ... you!

So I would look into the experience of the investigators as well as any conflicts of interest, which should all be disclosed in the information packet you should be given to carefully review before entering the trial. The specific risks should be thoroughly enumerated and explained in the same packet as well.

Where do you fit in? Well, I have found that desperation can sometimes lead to unwise choices, and you describe yourself as "rather desperate." So I would want to know what you have done in the way of devoting yourself to achieving relief short of volunteering for such a trial. And I would want to know exactly why you feel rather desperate. Is your feeling of desperation based in emotional thinking or based in rational thinking? That sort of thing.

Sorry that I cannot offer more in the way of concrete thoughts on your particular situation, but those are the types of factors I would want to take into account.

All the best with it -

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.