Individualized Treatment of Tinnitus during Sleep Using Combined Tinnitus Signal and Music

The effect of music therapy on tinnitus: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Tinnitus is a common otological symptom affecting almost all aspects of life, especially the quality of daily life. The present study aims to analyze music therapy effect on tinnitus patients. This paper mainly analyzes 3 kinds of music therapy: Heidelberg model of music therapy (HMOMT), standard music therapy (SMT), and tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT). To provide a reference for the follow-up treatment of tinnitus, whether to take and what kind of music therapy.

METHOD

A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and MEDLINE to obtain potential studies from their inception to May 2023 in all languages. Two researchers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included studies. We included all randomized and non-randomized controlled trials that used music therapy to treat patients with tinnitus. We used fixed-effects and random-effect models to analyze data based on the heterogeneity results. The data analysis was performed by using Stata 12.0.

RESULTS

A total of 19 studies with 904 cases were included. Compared with before treatment, music therapy significantly reduces the tinnitus questionnaire score and tinnitus handicap inventory score. HMOMT, SMT, and TMNMT all significantly decrease tinnitus scores. Although the order of effectiveness of the 3 drugs is TMNMT > SMT > HMOMT, there is no statistical significance (P > .5).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis of accumulated clinical trial data suggests that music therapy can relieve tinnitus symptoms and loudness. Among music therapies, SMT is recommended first for tinnitus based on cost, efficacy, and convenience. At the same time, TMNMT and HMOMT can be used as alternative therapies for specific cases.

Comparison of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Tinnitus and Short-Term Tinnitus

Objective

As one of the common symptoms of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSH), tinnitus seriously affects the life and work of SSH patients. The present study is aimed at exploring whether SSH can receive acoustic therapy and the factors that affect the efficacy of SSH acoustic therapy.

Methods

A total of 162 patients were outpatients and inpatients, 86 were SSH, and 76 were short-term tinnitus (STT). Both groups received pure tone audiometry, tinnitus matching, and residual inhibition test (RI). The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), visual analog scale with respect to tinnitus loudness (VAS), and RI in each group were evaluated. The effects of age, degree of hearing loss, and tinnitus course on the efficacy of SSH acoustic therapy were also evaluated.

Results

In the comparison of RI, THI, and VAS, there was no difference between SSH and STT (P > 0.05). SSH patients with mild hearing loss showed better acoustic therapy efficacy compared with SSH patients with severe hearing loss (P < 0.05), but there is no statistical difference in age and the course of tinnitus (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The present study showed that SSH may improve tinnitus symptom through receiving acoustic therapy and SSH patients with mild hearing loss can get better acoustic therapy effects.