Phase II Clinical Study on Low-Intensity-Noise Tinnitus Suppression (LINTS) for Tinnitus Treatment

Tziridis K, Heep L, Piwonski N, Nguyen K, Kölbl N, Schilling A, Schulze H (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Brain Sciences MDPI

Book Volume: 15

Article Number: 1222

Journal Issue: 11

DOI: 10.3390/brainsci15111222

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Tinnitus treatment is often based on coping strategies, as, still, no causal treatment is available. Based on our “Erlangen model” of tinnitus development, we treated tinnitus patients with individualized, non-masking low-intensity noise (LIN) to reduce the tinnitus loudness. Methods: A total of 72 adult patients with a tinnitus severity index below IV (tinnitus health questionnaire, THQ), a hearing loss not exceeding 40 dB up to 6 kHz, and without experience in hearing aid (HA) usage were included in this study. Their audiograms, tinnitus parameters, THQ scores, and optimal LIN were determined individually. Patients were double-blinded, assigned to a treatment-only (TO) or placebo-and-treatment (PT) group. The TO patients received treatment for four weeks while the PT patients initially received a placebo (low-intensity white noise) stimulation for two weeks and, hereinafter, treatment for four weeks. Every two weeks, the measurements listed above were repeated. The long-term effects on THQ were assessed four weeks after the end of treatment. The data were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric statistics. Results: We identified a significant decrease in the THQ score already after two (η² = 0.14) and four weeks of treatment (η² = 0.43), that was still present four weeks after the end of treatment (η² = 0.15) in the TO group. Subjective individual patient reports hint at a possible complete suppression of the percept by LINTS. The PT group profited much less, as the initial placebo treatment seemed to counteract the LIN effects. Conclusions: Individually fitted LIN treatment seems to be able to suppress tinnitus, in some cases completely. The optimal fitting of the LIN is crucial for treatment success.

Authors with CRIS profile

Konstantin Tziridis Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (HNO-Klinik) Lara Heep Professur für Experimentelle HNO-Heilkunde Nathalie Piwonski Graduiertenzentrum der FAU Khanh Nguyen Professur für Nanomedizin Nikola Kölbl Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (HNO-Klinik) Holger Schulze Professur für Experimentelle HNO-Heilkunde

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Mannheim / University Medical Centre Mannheim (Universitätsmedizin Mannheim)

How to cite

APA:

Tziridis, K., Heep, L., Piwonski, N., Nguyen, K., Kölbl, N., Schilling, A., & Schulze, H. (2025). Phase II Clinical Study on Low-Intensity-Noise Tinnitus Suppression (LINTS) for Tinnitus Treatment. Brain Sciences, 15(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15111222

MLA:

Tziridis, Konstantin, et al. "Phase II Clinical Study on Low-Intensity-Noise Tinnitus Suppression (LINTS) for Tinnitus Treatment." Brain Sciences 15.11 (2025).

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