Experts in tinnitus – ringing in the ears – are gathering in Nottingham next week for the first ever European research conference on the condition.

Tinnitus is reported to affect more than 70 million people in Europe and 50 million in the US. This unwanted sensation of noise in the absence of an external sound can disrupt lives – causing depression, anxiety and problems in concentration.

The University of Nottingham’s MRC Institute of Hearing Research and the NIHR Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit are hosting the conference on behalf of the European Tinnitus Research Network, TINNET.

World leading scientists and clinicians will present the results of their latest research and discoveries in tinnitus – a field which has had a number of exciting developments over the past few years. Highlights will include a Swedish study on a genetic link in tinnitus, the management of psychological aspects of the condition and the latest approaches to tinnitus treatment using music and brain stimulation.

Professor of Hearing Sciences at The University of Nottingham, Deborah Hall, said: “We are really excited to be hosting this major gathering of global expertise in this challenging area of hearing medicine. Tinnitus can seriously affect many lives and it is vital that we pool resources and expertise through networking conferences in this way. We are delighted to be welcoming more than 200 researchers, clinicians and students from 29 countries all over the world including North America, Argentina, Brazil and China. David Stockdale, the Chief Executive of the British Tinnitus Association will discuss the cost of tinnitus management in the UK.

“The tinnitus research field has been gathering momentum and in particular there is a growing acknowledgement that tinnitus is a multi-factorial condition that reflects interactions between the auditory system and various non-auditory factors. So it is important that hearing specialists collaborate with colleagues in neuroscience and psychology to explore the causes of this condition and work towards new treatments.”

World leading experts and members of a non-profit foundation – the Tinnitus Research Initiative – have been instrumental in obtaining funding from the European Union to promote an open and fully inclusive research network of people with a professional interest in tinnitus. This network is called TINNET and it has over 180 European members from across 29 countries.

For more information, a programme and more, visit the conference website.