Examination of natural environment sounds to substitute for the noise of a Sound Generator in TRT

In this research, we examined the effect of sound sources other than noise for sound therapy in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), with the cooperation of 10 patients who had had sufficient experience with a Sound Generator (SG). The results suggested the existence of some possibility of dispensability of SG broadband noise for sound therapy in TRT. The results in a case without hyperacusis suggested that a variety of sound sources had the potential of enough practicality for sound therapy. On the other hand, there were patients who had sound preferences, such as the sound of a “waterfall”, which resembles broadband noise, suggesting the effectiveness of SG. The sound of a “wave” had a tendency to be unsuitable for sound therapy, presumably due to the quiet part. It is therefore conceivable that the use of natural-environment sounds such as BGM, may be of greater value than the use of noise, from the viewpoint of creation of a comfortable environment for the bedroom, avoiding nighttime silence. We propose to carry out TRT with natural-environment sounds in the future, to investigate their efficacy.