Abstract:
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of binaural beat stimulation as a tinnitus treatment option. Background: The dichotic presentation of two auditory stimuli with a small frequency difference in each ear, produces the perception of a third fused auditory image called a binaural beat. Neural activity has been found to synchronise to these perceived beats. It is for this reason that binaural beats are often used as a means to induce certain psychological states that are associated with particular cortical rhythms. Higher levels of anxiety, depression and arousal associated with elevated beta cortical activity have been shown in tinnitus patients. This is the first study of its type to explore the efficacy of binaural beat therapy as a form of tinnitus treatment without the use of other relaxation and counselling methods, by altering brain wave activity and the equivalent psychological states. Method: Twenty adults with constant tinnitus and symmetrical hearing underwent audiological assessment and psychophysical measures of tinnitus. Participants were presented with two auditory stimuli in a single session: ocean waves, and ocean waves with alpha frequency binaural beats. Anxiety, depression, arousal and tinnitus perception were measured prior to and following each sound stimuli using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Perceived Arousal Scale and Tinnitus Severity Numerical Scale. The participants formed two groups, those with stress-induced tinnitus, and those without. Differences in the effectiveness of the sound stimuli for the two groups were also investigated. Results: Significant improvements in the perception of the overall problem and loudness of tinnitus was revealed following the binaural beat trial. No significant changes in tinnitus perception was found after presentation of ocean waves only. Both sound conditions elicited significant reductions in anxiety and arousal, whilst depression levels remained stable. Participants with stress-induced tinnitus showed a significant difference from the remaining sample with reductions in tinnitus annoyance, discomfort and loudness. Conclusion: Binaural beat therapy has proven to be an effective treatment of tinnitus ‘overall problem’ perception and tinnitus loudness. It has shown to produce improvements in anxiety and arousal equivalent to the use of ocean sounds. Stress-induced tinnitus may be better treated with the use of ocean waves alone. The results highlight the importance of psychological factors in tinnitus treatment, and how lowering these can lead to improved tinnitus perception.