Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Tinnitus, a phantom noise perception, would lead to many adverse effects if not assessed and treated properly. Sound therapy is one of the treatment options for patients with tinnitus. To identify the suitable candidates for sound therapy, residual inhibition (RI) assessment is typically carried out. In this paper, the usefulness of sound therapy in reducing tinnitus severity in a patient without the presence of RI was demonstrated. A 59-year-old male with the main complaint of bilateral tinnitus underwent audiological and tinnitus assessments. Even though he showed no RI, notable improvements were seen after using the sound therapy (employing broadband noise with partial masking) for the period of 3 months. The sound therapy can be effective in reducing tinnitus severity, including those with no RI. Other clinical implications are discussed accordingly.

Keywords: Tinnitus, sound therapy, masking, residual inhibition, broadband noise