Notched and Nonnotched Stimuli Are Equally Effective at the Mixing-Point Level in Sound Therapy for Tinnitus Relief

Abstract

Background Broadband noise (nonnotched) and notched noise are common sound sources in sound therapy for tinnitus relief. Studies on sound therapy using nonnotched or notched stimuli have reported large and small tinnitus improvements depending on the participant. However, the more effective sound source remains unclear given the among-study methodology differences. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the tinnitus relief effects of sound therapy using stimuli with different spectral characteristics. Research Design This was a prospective study involving within-subject (baseline vs. 12-month follow-up) measurements for two groups (notched noise group vs. broadband noise group). Study Sample We enrolled 30 adults with subjective and tonal tinnitus (notched noise group: 16, broadband noise group: 14). Intervention The participants underwent 3-hour daily sound therapy using either notched noise or broadband noise for 12 months. The stimulus level for sound therapy was set to each participant's mixing point. Data Collection and Analysis Tinnitus loudness and the Korean version of the Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire score were measured at baseline and at the 12-month follow-up time point. Results Both groups showed a significant improvement in tinnitus loudness and the Korean version of the Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire score. Conclusions Notched and nonnotched stimuli are equally effective at the mixing point in sound therapy for tinnitus relief. Individuals with difficulties in tinnitus frequency measurement could easily undergo sound therapy using nonnotched stimuli.

Customized Music Therapy Combined With the Counseling and Follow‐Up System: Stratified Results for Tinnitus Efficacy

“…Through a randomized controlled trial, Jin et al found broadband sound stimulation still has a certain effect on alleviating tinnitus. 27 Han et al studied the tinnitus frequency matching group was significantly more effective in music therapy than the tinnitus frequency nonmatching group by running another controlled trial. 28 Therefore, we recommend that broadband music can be used, especially for patients whose tinnitus frequency is difficult to match.…”

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

“…The participants in this study were screened following the inclusion and exclusion criteria based on previous research on sound therapy and microcurrent stimulation for tinnitus interventions [13,14,18]. Individuals who (1) had been diagnosed with sensorineural tinnitus without signs of somatosensory tinnitus by an otolaryngologist, (2) were adults aged ≥ 20 years or older, (3) had experienced tinnitus for at least 6 months, and (4) complained of discomfort and irritation owing to tinnitus were included in this study.…”

“…The mixing point refers to the level at which the sound therapy stimulus blends with the tinnitus sound level without masking or obscuring it [19]. This study used sound therapy stimuli reported in previous studies to provide effective tinnitus relief to some participants [18]. Briefly, notched noise was created by applying a band-reject filter with a bandwidth of 1/2 octave centered at the tinnitus frequency to the broadband noise (white noise ranging from 100 to 22,050 Hz).…”

“…The slope of the band-rejection filter was 300 dB/octave. Subsequently, the frequency bandwidths of 3/8 octaves on each notch side were amplified by 20 dB [18]. The notched stimuli presented broadband noise with tinnitus frequencies filtered out as sound stimuli, inducing vigorous neural response activity in neural regions outside the tinnitus frequencies.…”

Impact of a combination sound therapy on tinnitus distress: an exploratory one-year longitudinal study

“…Several studies have shown that sound therapy is an effective method to decrease the tinnitus-related distress, emotional reaction to and awareness of tinnitus (Kuk et al, 2010;Sweetow and Sabes, 2010;Krick et al, 2015;Liu et al, 2021). Sound therapies were initially based on broadband noise but now include noise shaped according to the audiogram (Henry et al, 2015), narrowband signals focusing on the frequency of tinnitus (Hoare et al, 2014b), notch noise (Jin et al, 2021), nature sounds (Barozzi et al, 2016;Sereda et al, 2017), music (Krick et al, 2015), or fractal tones (Tyler et al, 2017). Fractal tones are semi-randomly generated tones that sound like wind chimes.…”