Clinical Trial of Sound-Based Versus Behavioral Therapy for Tinnitus

This study is a randomized controlled trial evaluating if a customized sound-therapy device is just as effective or more so, than the standard of care (cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT) for bothersome tinnitus. All eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. Depending on group assignment, participants will attend approximately 7-12 visits over a 7-month period.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥18 years
• Primary and persistent tinnitus (6 months or longer in duration)
• Tonal tinnitus
• Dominant tinnitus frequency measured between 0.2 and 10 kHz
• Tinnitus Questionnaire score
• No current participation in other tinnitus therapy program
• Willing and able to listen to the acoustic prescription for 4-6 hours daily during the trial
• Able to pass the Tone Audibility Assessment with factor of 1.1

Exclusion criteria

• Secondary/somatic tinnitus due to a suspected underlying disease
• Atonal, pulsatile, intermittent, or occasional tinnitus
• Any hearing threshold >70 dB HL from .25-8kHz, unless subject passes the Tone Audibility Assessment screening with a factor of 1.1
• Any health or other problems that may prevent the person from completing the study procedures as determined by investigator
• Participant reports current suicidal ideation and/or homicidal ideation
• Use of medication which may trigger tinnitus [e.g., quinine derivatives, aminoglycoside antibiotics, daily high dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ≥1000 mg, salicylates (when not prescribed as a low dose for cardiac health), loop diuretics and chemotherapy agents like cis-platin]
• Conductive hearing loss
• Visible congenital or traumatic deformity of the ear
• History of active drainage from the ear within the past 90 days
• History of sudden or rapidly progressive hearing loss within the past 90 days
• Inability to read and respond appropriately to instructions that appear on the computer screen, and/or to perform all of the procedures
• Previous use of Desyncra for Tinnitus Therapy System