Abstract Objective: Our study aimed to measure the effectiveness of using HA in reducing the disturbance caused by tinnitus. Methods: Study was designed as a within-subjects clinical trial. Nineteen patients with chronic tinnitus and untreated sensorineural hearing loss were under counseling, HA fitting and 6 months follow-up. Tinnitus assessment was performed with Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pitch and loudness matching, and Minimum Masking Level measurements (MML). Results: following 6 months of HA use, a reduction in reported tinnitus and hearing handicap scales scores was observed both statistically and clinically. The pitch and loudness matching, as well as MML at the baseline and final evaluation were compared. MML’s thresholds reduced significantly after 6 months of HA use. Conclusion: Our study has provided evidence that HA fitting is a valuable treatment strategy for chronic tinnitus relief and associated hearing loss subtype of patient. Level of evidence: 3. Objective Methods withinsubjects within subjects trial counseling followup. followup follow up. up follow-up THI, THI , (THI) VAS, VAS (VAS) matching MML. . (MML) Results use clinically compared MMLs s Conclusion patient 3 (THI (VAS (MML

RESUMO Objetivo: revisar a literatura nacional e internacional e descrever os métodos usados para a coleta das medidas psicoacústicas do zumbido. Métodos: essa revisão integrativa foi realizada por meio da busca de artigos em periódicos especializados, nacionais e internacionais, nos idiomas português e inglês, disponíveis nas bases de dados: PubMed/Medline, BVS - LILACS e SCIELO. As palavras-chaves e descritores utilizados foram: audição, zumbido, medidas psicoacústicas, acufenometria e avaliação e, seus correspondentes em inglês. Os artigos levantados foram lidos e selecionados para a revisão seguindo os critérios de elegibilidade: aqueles que empregaram medidas psicoacústicas do zumbido e com descrição metodológica detalhada do protocolo empregado, em indivíduos normo-ouvintes e com perda auditiva. Resultados: foram revisados 12 artigos nos quais as medidas psicoacústicas foram empregadas para a caracterização e mensuração do zumbido, em indivíduos normo-ouvintes e com perda auditiva. Os principais achados referem-se à caracterização da amostra e modo de realização das medidas psicoacústicas. Conclusão: o agrupamento de diversos protocolos para avaliação do zumbido, realizado a partir da revisão integrativa de literatura, evidenciou grande heterogenidade dos métodos de realização das medidas psicoacústicas para a mensuração do zumbido para fins clínicos e científicos.

ABSTRACT Purpose: to review both the national and international literature as well as to describe the methods used to collect psychoacoustic measurements in tinnitus patients. Methods: the current integrative review was conducted on articles in specialized national and international journals, in both the Portuguese and English languages, available in the PubMed/Medline, BVS - LILACS and SCIELO databases. The following keywords and descriptors were used: hearing, tinnitus, psychoacoustic measurements, acuphenometry, and assessment, in both the Portuguese and English languages. The retrieved articles were read and selected for the review according to the eligibility criteria, which included the use of psychoacoustic measurements in tinnitus patients and the presence of a detailed methodological description of the protocol employed, in individuals with normal hearing and those with hearing loss. Results: a total of 12 articles, in which psychoacoustic measures were used for the characterization and the measurement of tinnitus in individuals with normal hearing and in those with hearing loss, were reviewed. The main findings were associated with the sample characterization and the way in which the psychoacoustic measures were performed. Conclusion:given the grouping of several protocols for tinnitus evaluation, which were determined following an integrative literature review, a great heterogeneity in the methods used to perform psychoacoustic measurements for tinnitus assessment for both clinical and scientific purposes was noted.

Abstract Introduction Music-based sound therapies become recently a trend in the treatment of tinnitus. Few publications have studied the therapeutic use of fractal tones to treat chronic tinnitus. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the benefits of using fractal tones as a unique sound therapy for chronic tinnitus sufferers. Methods Twelve participants were recruited; however, six could not be assigned. At baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months, the participants were provided with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA) questionnaires, and their visual analog scale score was recorded. Tinnitus pitch and loudness matching was performed before fitting and after 6 months of use. Results The visual analog scale (VAS) score, pitch and loudness matching and minimal masking levels did not result in significant improvement at the end of the treatment. The mean THI measured at baseline was 45, and the final one was 25. A paired sample t-test showed that this 20-point difference was statistically significant. Conclusions We measured the benefits of using fractal tone therapy for the treatment of chronic tinnitus and found that most of the benefits were in the THI functional domain, which includes concentration, reading, attention, consciousness, sleep, social activities, and household tasks. For all patients with bothersome chronic tinnitus and high scores on the THI functional scale, fractal tones should be considered a promising initial sound therapy strategy. The findings from this open-label pilot study are preliminary, and further trials are needed before these results can be generalized to a larger tinnitus population.