Tinnitus Retraining Therapy with Noise Generator as a Method for Treatment of Tinnitus

Abstract

Tinnitus retraining therapy is one approach for habituation of tinnitus. It is logically based on the neurophysiological model described by Jasreboff (1990).
Since 1999, 39 patients have been seen at Department of Otolaryngology, Nagoya City Universisy, School of Medicine and Sekiya otolaryngology clinic (male 17, female 22). We evaluated changes of tinnitus by questionnaire, visual analogue scale (VAS), tinnitus handicap inventry (THI), aimed at the evaluation of tinnius habituation, the effect of tinnitus on patients' lives, and the level of tinnltus-induced annoyance.
Of 26 patients we followed up for 6 months, 100% of them exhibited improvement, 77% with visual analogue scale, 74% with tinnitus handicap inventry. These results suggested that TRT was highly effective for tinnitus.