The future of tinnitus treatment: Sonova experts on holistic solutions and innovations

Tinnitus is imperceptible to others but affects millions. To mark the annual Tinnitus Awareness Week, our experts Dr Maren Stropahl and Dr Raffael Schmitt explain how technology, research and holistic care work together to help those affected.

A lot has happened in recent years: “Tinnitus is no longer a taboo subject”, says Maren Stropahl, Senior Director Holistic Hearing Care at Sonova. “More and more people are talking openly about it, including well-known personalities such as musicians and athletes. This takes the pressure off those affected and lowers the threshold for seeking help.” Around 15% of the adult population constantly hears noises that no one else can hear.¹ But not everyone suffers from it. The decisive factor is how strongly tinnitus affects emotional well-being.

Research meets everyday life

Sonova itself works closely with leading tinnitus centers worldwide. The aim is to translate new findings into practical products and counselling concepts. “Tinnitus is very heterogeneous. That's why we need personalized approaches that are data-based and adaptable”, says the scientist. In the future, artificial intelligence could help to tailor therapies more precisely and track progress in real time.

Looking to the future

By 2030, Maren Stropahl and Raffael Schmitt hope to see low-threshold, digitally and data-supported care for individuals with tinnitus. Diagnosis, hearing solutions, patient-oriented care and self-help should be seamlessly integrated. “Hearing aids and apps such as SilentCloud™ could adapt to individual needs in different situations in the future, enabling personalized treatment”, explains Raffael Schmitt.

What drives both of them in their research and work? “We want to give people back their quality of life”, they say. “When tinnitus patients no longer hear that nothing can be done about their tinnitus, we know that we are achieving our goal of providing individual support to people with tinnitus and improving their quality of life.”