Impact of reduction of tinnitus intensity on patients' quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

Assess the impact of a reduction of tinnitus intensity achieved through sound stimulation during sleep on the improvement in the patients' quality of life.

DESIGN

Acoustic stimuli consisted of a highly customized sound that reproduced the spectral and intensity characteristics of the tinnitus in each patient. This stimulus was uploaded into a portable electronic device and delivered through customized ear buds during sleep, every night for three months.

STUDY SAMPLE

Twelve patients with subjective idiopathic chronic tinnitus were studied.

RESULTS

Results were assessed through: (1) the measurement in dB SPL of tinnitus intensity reduction over time; (2) the results of three psychometric tests: Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), Tinnitus reaction questionnaire (TRQ), Tinnitus functional index (TFI); and (3) a Visual analog scale (VAS) for tinnitus annoyance. After three months of treatment, we observed an average decrease in tinnitus intensity of 14.1 dB SPL (p < 0.001), implying a 62% reduction of the perceived sound. This improvement was followed by a statistically significant decrease of TRQ (78%), THI (65%), and TFI (77%).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that the intensity reduction achieved through the protocol used in this study had a direct impact on the improvement in the patients' quality of life.