Acoustic CR Neuromodulation for adults with chronic subjective tonal tinnitus

Introduction

Tinnitus causes people to perceive sounds, such as whistling and humming, intermittently or continuously, without external acoustic stimulation. In most cases tinnitus is subjective, meaning that only the person can hear the sound. In rare cases people experience objective tinnitus, which can be heard during a clinical examination and arises from sounds inside the ear such as muscle spasms or altered blood flow. Tinnitus is more common in people aged over 65, but it can affect people of all ages. Although it is more common in people with hearing loss or other ear problems, one third of people with tinnitus have no identifiable ear disorder. Its exact cause is not fully understood; in some cases it may be associated with damage to the cochlea or changes in brain activity.

Tonal tinnitus is sometimes described as 'ringing in the ears' and produces a continuous sound of a single tone. In different studies, tonal tinnitus was estimated to be present in 39% and 67% of people with tinnitus.

In the UK, around 6 million people (10% of the population) have some form of tinnitus, with about 600,000 (1%) experiencing it to an extent that it affects their quality of life. The impact of tinnitus varies, from little or no disruption of normal activities to its having a significant effect on day‑to‑day life. Tinnitus can cause problems such as trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping and depression. Very rarely, people can feel suicidal as a result of their tinnitus.