A Series of Case Studies of Tinnitus Suppression With Mixed Background Stimuli in a Cochlear Implant

Abstract

Purpose Background sounds provided by a wearable sound playback device were mixed with the acoustical input picked up by a cochlear implant speech processor in an attempt to suppress tinnitus. Method First, patients were allowed to listen to several sounds and to select up to 4 sounds that they thought might be effective. These stimuli were programmed to loop continuously in the wearable playback device. Second, subjects were instructed to use 1 background sound each day on the wearable device, and they sequenced the selected background sounds during a 28-day trial. Patients were instructed to go to a website at the end of each day and rate the loudness and annoyance of the tinnitus as well as the acceptability of the background sound. Patients completed the Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire (Tyler, Stocking, Secor, & Slattery, 2014) at the beginning of the trial. Results Results indicated that background sounds were very effective at suppressing tinnitus. There was considerable variability in sounds preferred by the subjects. Conclusion The study shows that a background sound mixed with the microphone input can be effective for suppressing tinnitus during daily use of the sound processor in selected cochlear implant users.

Tinnitus Suppression by Intracochlear Electrical Stimulation in Single Sided Deafness – A Prospective Clinical Trial: Follow-Up

“…A relatively simple pattern generator is sufficient for this treatment option. Moreover, it might be possible that the effectiveness of intracochlear electrical stimulation on tinnitus suppression could be further optimized using a combination of speech processing and the meaningless, but highly controlled, intracochlear electrical stimulation [ 36 ].…”

A State-of-the-Art Review: Personalization of Tinnitus Sound Therapy

“…Frequency lowering processing was suggested as an alternative strategy to conventional amplification (Peltier et al, 2012 ). Several studies suggested sound therapy device selection based on the audiogram (from hearing aids, combination instruments and cochlear implants) (Folmer and Carroll, 2006 ; Mazurek et al, 2006 ; Tyler et al, 2015 ; Searchfield, 2016 ). Searchfield ( 2016 ) recommended normal hearing would be fitted with sound generators; high frequency hearing loss with hearing aids; hearing loss encompassing low frequencies with combination instruments; severe-profound hearing loss with cochlear implants.…”

Tinnitus: mechanisms, measures and sound treatments

“…New approaches are being explored, including cochlear implants for patients with unilateral HL and severe tinnitus, brain stimulation through transcranial magnetic stimulation, and brain stimulation. However, at present, there is no "cure" for tinnitus (Tyler et al, 2015).…”

“…Several therapeutic approaches, including counselling and behavioural therapy, the provision of hearing aids and cochlear implants (CI), and sound therapy devices can be effective for many people (Kleine Punte, Meeus, & Van de Heyning, 2010;Tyler et al, 2015). Tinnitus treatments are additionally reviewed in Section 4.…”