2,056
Views
54
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

Open ear hearing aids in tinnitus therapy: An efficacy comparison with sound generators

, , , &
Pages 548-553 | Received 15 Jan 2010, Accepted 12 Mar 2011, Published online: 19 May 2011
 

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) with sound generators or with open ear hearing aids in the rehabilitation of tinnitus for a group of subjects who, according to Jastreboff categories, can be treated with both approaches to sound therapy (borderline of Category 1 and 2). Design: This study was a prospective data collection with a parallel-group design which entailed that each subject was randomly assigned to one of the two treatments group: half of the subjects were fitted binaurally with sound generators, and the other half with open ear hearing aids. Both groups received the same educational counselling sessions. Study sample: Ninety-one subjects passed the screening criteria and were enrolled into the study. Structured interviews, with a variety of measures evaluated through the use of visual-analog scales and the tinnitus handicap inventory self-administered questionnaire, were performed before the therapy and at 3, 6, and 12 months during the therapy. Results: Data showed a highly significant improvement in both tinnitus treatments starting from the first three months and up to one year of therapy, with a progressive and statistically significant decrease in the disability every three months. Conclusions: TRT was equally effective with sound generator or open ear hearing aids: they gave basically identical, statistically indistinguishable results.

Sumario

Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es comparar la efectividad de la terapia de re-entrenamiento del acúfeno (TRT), con generadores del sonido o con auxiliares auditivos con molde abierto en la rehabilitación del acúfeno, para un grupo de sujetos que, de acuerdo con las categorías de Jastreboff, pueden ser tratados con ambos enfoques hacia la terapia del sonido (límite entre la categoría 1 y la 2). Diseño: Este estudio fue una colección prospectiva de datos con un diseño de grupos paralelos en el que cada sujeto fue asignado al azar en uno de los dos grupos de tratamiento: la mitad de los sujetos fueron adaptados binauralmente con generadores de sonido y la otra mitad con auxiliares auditivos con molde abierto. Ambos grupos recibieron las mismas sesiones de asesoría. Muestra: 91 sujetos aprobaron el tamiz de criterios y fueron incluidos en el estudio. Se realizó una entrevista estructurada con una variedad de mediciones evaluadas en la Escala Visual Análoga y el Inventario del Impedimento por el Acúfeno, un cuestionario auto-administrado, antes de la terapia y a los 3, 6 y 12 meses durante la terapia. Resultados: Los datos mostraron una mejoría altamente significativa en ambos tratamientos desde los primeros tres meses y hasta el primer año de terapia con una significancia estadística progresiva y un descenso trimestral significativo en la discapacidad. Conclusiones: La TRT fue igualmente efectiva con generadores de sonido que con auxiliares auditivos de molde abierto: básicamente dieron resultados idénticos, estadísticamente indistinguibles.

Acknowledgements

This research was partially supported by grants from the Tinnitus Research Initiative, by Fondazione Ascolta e Vivi, and GN ReSound A/S.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.