Effects of Tinnitus Sound Therapy Determined Using Subjective Measurements

Abstract

Background Sound therapy is generally considered as an effective method for relieving tinnitus. There have been various reports on the effects of tinnitus interventions involving sound therapy as a component; however, there have been only a small number of reports on the effects of sound therapy itself on tinnitus. Purpose The aim of the study is to elucidate whether sound therapy significantly improves tinnitus as determined by subjective measurements. Research Design Prospective study involves within-subject (baseline, 3-month, 6-month) measurements. Study Sample This includes 16 adults with subjective and sensorineural tinnitus. Intervention Participants undertook sound therapy for 3 hours a day for 6 months. The level of stimulus for sound therapy was set to the mixing point of each participant. No counseling was provided. Data Collection and Analysis Participants rated the visual analog scale for loudness and annoyance using a numeric 0 to 100 point scale and completed the Korean version of the Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire at the baseline, 3-month, and 6-month time points. Results Sound therapy led to significant improvements of tinnitus in participants in all subjective measurements. Significant effects were found not only between the baseline and 3-month but also between the 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Conclusion Results of the present study showed that the sound therapy alone led to significant improvements of tinnitus in participants as assessed by subjective measurements. To improve the effects of sound therapy, consistent sound therapy may be required for a certain period of time such as 3 hours a day over a 6-month period.

Therapy effect of cochleural alternating acoustic beam therapy versus traditional sound therapy for managing chronic idiopathic tinnitus patients

“…Second, the daily treatment time for patients was relatively short; a longer daily sound therapy duration might enhance the potential for improving tinnitus relief 9 . There is evidence that continuous sound therapy for longer periods, such as 3 h per day for > 6 months, could yield better results 8 . Third, the trial was conducted in a single center, which may limit the generalisability and stability of the findings.…”

“…Sound therapy, assessed through subjective evaluations, has demonstrated effectiveness in tinnitus management. The efficacy of sound therapy improves with the duration of daily treatment; it can be effective as a standalone method without additional counseling 8 , 9 . Vernon 10 demonstrated that tinnitus masking, a standard monotone therapy, involves using external noise to distract the patient's attention and reduce the contrast between the tinnitus signal and background activity within the auditory system.…”

The Effectiveness of Microcurrent Stimulation Combined with Sound Therapy for Tinnitus Relief: A Preliminary Study

“…In another study, 5 of 15 participants with chronic tinnitus who received sound therapy reported significant relief from tinnitus [8]. Sound therapy does not appear to be effective for all patients with chronic tinnitus; however, many studies have reported significant reductions in tinnitus or habituation to tinnitus in some participants who have undergone sound therapy [10][11][12].…”

“…Whether rehabilitation combining sound and electrical stimulation is more effective than traditional sound therapy remains unclear. Studies on sound therapy alone have also reported significant tinnitus relief in 30-50% of participants when assessing individualized tinnitus relief [9,11]. However, studies on sound therapy alone and those combining sound and electrical stimulation are not directly comparable because of differences in participant characteristics, rehabilitation duration, and assessment methods.…”