Options For Sound Therapies
Environmental Enrichment Devices
Î Tabletop sound machines generate different types of nature and/or
environmental sounds (e.g., rain, wind, waterfall).
Î CD recordings or personal audio players generate music, nature and/or
environmental sounds through speakers.
• Tabletop water fountains
• Fans, TV, radio
• Smartphones or tablets with apps specifically created to produce a variety of sounds that
aid in tinnitus relief
Hearing Aids (see KAS 7)
Î Digital signal processing devices allow for flexibility in manipulating
the acoustic signal based on the patient's hearing loss severity and
audiometric configuration.
Î Open-fit hearing aids permit normal entry of environmental sounds into
the ear canal promoting a masking/partial masking effect.
Sound Generators
Î Ear-level sound generators that produce a broadband noise/s (e.g., white
noise, pink noise) are a choice for patients with normal or near-normal
audiometric thresholds.
• Available in in-the-ear or behind-the ear styles
Combination Tinnitus Instruments
Î Hearing technology is now available that incorporates wireless, portable
audio-streaming devices that can be connected, via a mini-jack plug or
Bluetooth, to a variety of audio sources (e.g., MP3 player, smartphone,
tablet). These devices:
• Contain hearing aid circuit and noise-producing circuit in the same device
• Allow patients who have both a hearing loss and tinnitus to use a single device
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Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved
Disclaimer is Guideline attempts to define principles of practice that should produce high-
quality patient care. It focuses on the needs of primary care practice, but also is applicable to providers
at all levels. is Guideline should not be considered exclusive of other methods of care reasonably
directed at obtaining the same results. e ultimate judgment concerning the propriety of any course of
conduct must be made by the clinician aer consideration of each individual patient situation.
Neither IGC, the medical associations, nor the authors endorse any product or service associated with
the distributor of this clinical reference tool.
AAOTIN14103a
Source Tunkel DE, Bauer CA, Sun GH, et al. Clinical practice guideline: tinnitus.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. October 2014.
