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Hearing Aid Amplification Schemes Adjusted to Tinnitus Pitch: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Jose L Santacruz1,2, Emile de Kleine1,2, Pim van Dijk1,2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
Audiology Research
|November 24, 2025
Summary
Hearing aid amplification schemes, including boosted and notch-filtered settings, did not significantly reduce tinnitus handicap compared to standard settings. Individual patient preferences for hearing aid amplification varied widely.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hearing aids are a potential treatment for tinnitus.
- Effectiveness may depend on amplification matching tinnitus pitch for masking or creating a gap for lateral inhibition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare tinnitus handicap using standard, boosted, and notch-filtered hearing aid amplification schemes.
- To evaluate tinnitus masking and lateral inhibition theories for hearing aid treatment.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial with a double-blind Latin square balanced crossover design.
- Eighteen experienced hearing aid users with moderate hearing loss were fitted with three amplification schemes (standard, boosted, notch-filtered).
- Primary outcome: Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) score.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in TFI scores between standard, boosted, or notch-filtered amplification.
- A placebo effect may have contributed to initial TFI score reduction.
- Individual preferences for amplification settings were diverse and not linked to specific schemes.
Conclusions:
- Neither notch-filtered nor boosted amplification provided superior tinnitus suppression over standard amplification.
- Personalized hearing aid fitting is crucial for tinnitus management.
- Further research is needed on patient-specific tinnitus characteristics and amplification preferences.
