Phase II Clinical Study on Low-Intensity-Noise Tinnitus Suppression (LINTS) for Tinnitus Treatment

Area of Science:

• Audiology and Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience of Hearing
• Tinnitus Research

Background:

• Current tinnitus treatments primarily focus on coping strategies due to the lack of causal therapies.
• The Erlangen model of tinnitus development informed the use of individualized low-intensity noise (LIN) for tinnitus reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of individualized, non-masking low-intensity noise (LIN) in reducing tinnitus loudness.
• To assess the impact of LIN treatment on tinnitus severity and patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-two adult patients with specific tinnitus severity and hearing loss criteria were enrolled.
• Patients were double-blinded into a treatment-only (TO) group or a placebo-and-treatment (PT) group.
• Audiograms, tinnitus parameters, and tinnitus health questionnaire (THQ) scores were measured bi-weekly, with long-term effects assessed post-treatment.

Main Results:

• The TO group showed a significant decrease in THQ scores after two and four weeks of LIN treatment, sustained four weeks post-treatment.
• Subjective reports indicated potential complete suppression of tinnitus perception with LIN treatment.
• The PT group experienced less benefit, suggesting placebo stimulation may counteract LIN effects.

Conclusions:

• Individually fitted LIN treatment demonstrates potential for suppressing tinnitus, with some patients achieving complete suppression.
• The precise fitting of LIN is critical for achieving successful therapeutic outcomes in tinnitus management.