By Sojy Rajeev student of the Master in Clinical Audiology and Hearing Therapy

Abstract

Tinnitus is one of the most widespread auditory disorders globally, characterized by the perception of sound without any external source. It is often described as ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears and may appear intermittently or persistently, varying in intensity among individuals. Tinnitus is an aural disorder that is prevalent and is characterized by hearing noise even when nothing is audible. It affects a vast amount of population and it is likely to result in distress, anxiety, and poor quality of life. The research paper tries to draw a comparison between the effectiveness of two treatment options tinnitus masker (sound therapy) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and a combination of the two treatment options in alleviating the severity of tinnitus in adults with normal hearing and mild to moderate hearing loss. Their design was randomized controlled trial (RCT), where the subjects were subjected to either sound therapy or combination of both interventions over a duration of 12 weeks. The primary result was the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) that was used to measure the changes in the severity and suffering of tinnitus. The quality of life and the reduction of the anxiety and depression related to tinnitus were the secondary outcomes. The results obtained showed that sound therapy and CBT played a role in reducing the intensity of tinnitus and the combination intervention yielded better results. The paper is an informative resource on the possibilities of a combined solution to tinnitus management in especially patients with different levels of hearing impairment. The results imply that a multimodal approach of using auditory and psychological therapy can have enormous potential in the therapeutic regimen of tinnitus patients.

Keywords: Tinnitus management, Sound therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Hearing loss, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Combined therapy, Psychological distress

Download the full Research Work: Rajeev, S. (2026). Tinnitus Management and Rehabilation. SAERA