The TRT protocol is only one of several tinnitus treatment regimens recommending sound-therapy devices (Powers & Munhoes, 2015). TRT commonly uses ear-level worn noise generators and hearing instruments, or a combination of the two devices (i.e., dual function of amplification, as well as therapy noise generator) to help facilitate the natural process of habituating to the tinnitus. Jastreboff and Hazell (1993) defined a neurophysiologic model of tinnitus, which led to the development of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT Jastreboff & Jastreboff, 2000). In the 1990s, the concept of “habituation” was introduced. The treatment was based on the principle of distraction, turning total masking with white noise into a clinical management technique (Vernon, 1976). With such a prevalent epidemiology, it is not surprising that many hearing instrument manufacturers have added tinnitus treatment options.Īcoustic treatment for tinnitus produced by ear-worn instruments began in 1976 when sound-therapy devices were first introduced.
In the U.S., tinnitus is the most common service-related injury (Department of Defense Centers for Hearing Excellence Statistical Data, 2016) affecting more than 800,000 US veterans (U.S. Tinnitus not only causes a decreased quality of life for some individuals, but is also a health issue with an economic impact (Wunderlich et al., 2015). One study reported 2.4 percent of the population responded “yes” to the description of tinnitus as “tinnitus plagues me all day” (Moller, 2011). Population studies conducted in six different countries reported the incidence of prolonged tinnitus varying between 4.4 and 15.1 percent for adults. Tinnitus affects a staggering number of individuals.
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