Tinnitus sound therapy

Tinnitus—often referred to as "ringing in the ears"—is incredibly common. According to the American Tinnitus Association, close to 20 million Americans have chronic tinnitus, with two million experiencing extreme and debilitating cases.

Frustratingly, there is no known cure, and often it will take more than one treatment option to get suitable relief. One of the most well-established methods is known as tinnitus sound therapy.

What is tinnitus sound therapy?

Tinnitus sound therapy uses a process known as habituation to retrain the way the brain interprets tinnitus. Essentially, the brain learns to reclassify the unwanted sound as something neutral or unimportant.

“You can hear a sound that sounds just like your tinnitus—like crickets—but when you go camping in the wilderness and hear the crickets, it has a different meaning,” Christina Lobarinas, Au.D., tinnitus coordinator for the UT Southwestern Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Program, explained. “When the sound is constant and your brain is confused as to where it’s coming from, that’s when the tinnitus sound becomes bothersome.”

Sound therapy helps a person "forget" about the sound. That might sound tricky, but your brain already does it all the time. 

“It’s very similar to when you put on your glasses and your nose [nerve endings] start sending signals to the brain that there’s something on your nose,” Dr. Lobarinas said. “After awhile, you tend not to think about the feeling.”

There are different methods and types of sounds that can help, and an audiologist trained in tinnitus therapy can explore several options. 

How do I start tinnitus sound therapy?

Before getting started, it's a good idea to get a hearing exam to rule out any medical causes for tinnitus.

“If there is a medical condition contributing to the tinnitus and we can fix it, the tinnitus will go away," Dr. Lobarinas said. “If there is no medical condition, anyone who reports their tinnitus to be bothersome would be a good candidate for sound therapy.”

The next step Dr. Lobarinas recommends is downloading a free tinnitus app. “The key is to not set volume levels so high that it drowns out the tinnitus sound. You really don’t want to mask it. The goal is to retrain the brain so you need to hear the tinnitus along with the sound that you’re playing in order to help the brain make that connection,” she said.

Consistency and frequency are two other keys for success. Dr. Lobarinas recommends playing the sound for at least four hours a day, as well as while you’re sleeping.

For an even easier version, you can also try selecting a relaxing, neutral sound—like ocean waves crashing, rain falling, or instrumental music—and playing it as background noise throughout the day. (Color noises like white noise and pink noise are not recommended.)

“After a time, the tinnitus becomes associated with this sound,” she said. “The brain says ‘it’s constant, it’s meaningless, it’s not something I need to pay attention to.’ It’s essentially a passive form of extinguishing a response to a stimulus by moving it from a conscious to a subconscious level.”

Hearing aids and other tools for sound therapy

Keep in mind that tinnitus is often an early warning sign that a person has hearing loss. This is why your audiologist or hearing care provider may recommend hearing aids for tinnitus, along with sound therapy.

How hearing aids help: Hearing aids amplify the noises in your environment, giving your brain more sound to process. This help it focus on other things besides the tinnitus. Also, many hearing aids come with tinnitus masking built right in, which an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist can program for you. 

Don't expect results overnight

And be committed for the long haul. It may take as long as two to three months to notice any changes and as much as a year before the tinnitus is no longer noticeable.

“Markers to shoot for are a reduced emotional response to the tinnitus or change in pitch or volume,” Dr. Lobarinas advised. “Celebrate small victories. Any little progress is good progress.” 

Find a tinnitus specialist

If you think you would benefit from tinnitus sound therapy, make an appointment with your primary physician or ENT. Once they have ruled out any contributing medical conditions, consult an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus retraining therapy near you. Please note that not all hearing clinics treat tinnitus, so you may need to browse several clinic pages to find the right provider.