Electrical Suppression of Tinnitus via Cochlear Implants (original) (raw)
Related papers
Sound therapy for cochlear implant users with tinnitus
International Journal of Audiology, 2020
Objective: Despite the positive effect of a cochlear implant (CI) on tinnitus in many patients, tinnitus remains a problem for a significant proportion of CI users. We investigated the acceptability and effect of sound therapy (a combination of natural background sounds and one concise tinnitus counselling session) on tinnitus and speech perception in CI users who still experienced tinnitus during CI use. Design and study sample: Thirty-two CI users (32-78 years) participated in phase 1: a test at the clinic to evaluate six background sounds provided by the sound processor. Eighteen out of the 32 CI users participated in phase 2: an optional take-home evaluation of 2 weeks without sound therapy, followed by 5 weeks with sound therapy, ending with an evaluation visit. Results: Thirty subjects (93.8%) found at least one background sound acceptable. In phase 2, a small improvement with sound therapy was found for tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and intrusiveness. 50% of the subjects subjectively reported benefit of sound therapy. Especially the sense of control on their tinnitus was highly appreciated. No detrimental effect on speech perception was observed. Conclusion: The background sounds were acceptable and provided tinnitus relief in some CI users with tinnitus during CI use.
Auditory electrical tinnitus suppression in patients with and without implants
The international tinnitus journal, 2005
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of electrical tinnitus suppression in two groups of chronic severe tinnitus sufferers. Through standard tinnitus questionnaires, we compared the effectiveness of extratympanic and intratympanic auditory electrical stimulation (AES) by cochlear implants (CI) for the suppression or abolition of the perception of tinnitus and the decrease of its associated complaints. We made otolaryngological and comprehensive audiological assessment and also tinnitus measurement in each group of patients before and after AES and 50 days later. We investigated the dimensions of psychological complaints due to chronic and disabling tinnitus by means of the tinnitus questionnaire (TQ). The control examination during at least seven sessions (50 days) after AES in the group of patients without implants showed improvement in 20 of 32 patients (62.5%); 12 (37.5%) did not notice any change. In the comparative group of patients with implants, improvement...
A Prospective Study of the Effect of Cochlear Implantation on Tinnitus
Audiology and Neurotology, 2018
Previous studies have shown diverse and sometimes even contrary results concerning the effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus and the factors that can influence this effect. The aim of this prospective questionnaire study was to determine the effects of cochlear implantation on tinnitus and explore which factors can influence the effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus. Forty-four of the patients implanted in our hospital returned 2 questionnaire packages, i.e., one before the cochlear implantation and one 6 months after implantation. Before implantation, 66% of the patients experienced tinnitus. This study shows that cochlear implantation could help to reduce tinnitus and the tinnitus handicap in at least 28% of the patients with preoperative tinnitus. In 72% of the patients the tinnitus remained after implantation. None of the patients developed tinnitus after implantation. A shorter duration of tinnitus prior to implantation, a more fluctuating type of tinnitus, a higher...
Cochlear implant and tinnitus: a review
Tinnitus is the perception of a sound without any external auditory input and patient experiences as a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear or head. Tinnitus is a common and troublesome clinical entity that has existed for centuries. However, the exact etiology for tinnitus is not known. Electrical suppression of the tinnitus by cochlear implant is a secondary benefit to many cochlear implant recipients. Cochlear implants are often helpful to improve speech perception for those suffered with severe to profound hearing loss where hearing aids are no longer beneficial. There is high prevalence of tinnitus among patients with profound hearing loss which often reduced after cochlear implant. Although only few cochlear implant recipients show complete elimination of tinnitus after implantation and many uses result in improvement or stabilization. Cochlear implant causes appearance of homolateral tinnitus in small percentage of the cases. However, none of the cases of tinnitus which appear after cochlear implantation are thought to be severe to the patient. All literatures of cochlear implant and tinnitus were identified via Scopus, Google scholar, Medline and PubMed and analysed individually. Articles of cochlear implant and tinnitus included according to specified eligibility criteria. The review article analysed case series, case reports and original research on cochlear implant and tinnitus published in the English language. The aim of this review article is to provide a comprehensive review of the cochlear implant and its role in tinnitus.
Brain Sciences
This study aims to explore the effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus perception. A prospective study was conducted on 72 adult hearing-impaired patients to evaluate tinnitus perception before and after cochlear implantation, using standardized tinnitus questionnaires (the tinnitus sample case-history questionnaire, tinnitus functional index (TFI), and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI)). A large variety of demographic and hearing- and implant-related data was collected from patient hospital records to explore possible associations with the implantation effect. The prevalence of tinnitus complaints before implantation was 58.3%. The temporary induction or aggravation of tinnitus immediately after surgery was noted in 20% and 46.7% of patients, respectively. When evaluated 3 months after implantation, 60% of tinnitus patients experienced a clinically significant reduction in their complaints; most of the improvements were experienced immediately after activation of the implant. O...
A Series of Case Studies of Tinnitus Suppression with Mixed Background Stimuli in a Cochlear Implant
American Journal of Audiology, 2015
Purpose Background sounds provided by a wearable sound playback device were mixed with the acoustical input picked up by a cochlear implant speech processor in an attempt to suppress tinnitus. Method First, patients were allowed to listen to several sounds and to select up to 4 sounds that they thought might be effective. These stimuli were programmed to loop continuously in the wearable playback device. Second, subjects were instructed to use 1 background sound each day on the wearable device, and they sequenced the selected background sounds during a 28-day trial. Patients were instructed to go to a website at the end of each day and rate the loudness and annoyance of the tinnitus as well as the acceptability of the background sound. Patients completed the Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire (Tyler, Stocking, Secor, & Slattery, 2014) at the beginning of the trial. Results Results indicated that background sounds were very effective at suppressing tinnitus. There was considerab...
Journal of Translational Medicine
Background Chronic tinnitus affects millions of people globally and constitutes the most commonly compensated disability among military service members in the United States. Existing treatment options largely surround helping patients cope with their disease as opposed to directly suppressing tinnitus perception. The current study investigated the efficacy of electrical stimulation of the cochlea on chronic disabling tinnitus. Methods In this single-arm, open-label clinical trial, 22 adult subjects with severe-range asymmetric or unilateral non-pulsatile tinnitus underwent electrical stimulation of the cochlea through use of an extra-cochlear electrode positioned on the cochlear promontory. Each subject underwent 3 stimulation treatments over 3 weeks at 7-day intervals. Tinnitus severity was determined by Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), and Tinnitus Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Inclusion criteria required subjects have no worse than moderate sensori...
Audiology and Neurotology, 2020
Introduction: While cochlear implantation may have a positive effect on tinnitus, it is not effective in reducing tinnitus in all patients. This may be due to different patients requiring different strategies of electrical stimulation in order to obtain a positive effect on tinnitus. It is, therefore, important to identify the most effective stimulation strategies to reduce tinnitus. The simplest possible strategy is stimulation by only one electrode. In this study, we investigated tinnitus suppression by electrical stimulation via a single electrode of the cochlear implant. Methods: We performed a listening experiment in 19 adult participants, who had received a unilateral cochlear implant (CI) because of severe bilateral hearing loss. All of these patients had indicated that they suffered from tinnitus. During a 300-s interval, patients listened to blocks of single-electrode stimulation and rated the loudness of the stimulus and any effects on their tinnitus. The 300-s interval in...
Incapacitating Unilateral Tinnitus in Single-Sided Deafness Treated by Cochlear Implantation
Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, 2008
Objectives:Tinnitus is a well-known, difficult-to-treat symptom of hearing loss. Users of cochlear implants (CIs) have reported a reduction in tinnitus following implantation for bilateral severe-to-profound deafness. This study assessed the effect of electrical stimulation via a CI on tinnitus in subjects with unilateral deafness and ipsilateral tinnitus who underwent implantation in an attempt to treat tinnitus with the CI.Methods:Twenty-one subjects who complained of severe intractable tinnitus that was unresponsive to treatment received a CI. Tinnitus loudness was measured with a Visual Analog Scale; loudness percepts were recorded with the device activated and deactivated. Tinnitus distress was measured with the Tinnitus Questionnaire before and after implantation.Results:Electrical stimulation via a CI resulted in a significant reduction in tinnitus loudness (mean ± SD; 1 year after implantation, 2.4 ± 1.8; 2 years after implantation, 2.5 ± 1.9; before implantation, 8.5 ± 1.3)...
Review: cochlear implants as a treatment of tinnitus in single-sided deafness
Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery, 2012
Tinnitus is a symptom that is highly associated with hearing loss. Its incidence is expected to increase due to the detrimental effects of occupational and leisure noise. Even though no standard treatment is currently available, the effect of cochlear implants on tinnitus in single-sided deafness (SSD) is under scientific attention. This review reveals an overview of all publicly available reports about cochlear implant as a treatment for tinnitus in SSD. Cochlear implantation in SSD suppresses tinnitus in most of the cases. Some studies even demonstrate complete tinnitus suppression after implantation. No tinnitus worsening is reported in any of the cases. Furthermore, tinnitus does not restore during the electrical stimulation presented by the cochlear implant. The tinnitus level seems to stabilize after 3-6 months after the first fitting. Although the underlying mechanism responsible for the observed tinnitus suppression is not yet clear, cochlear implantation should be considere...