There have been few, if any, reliable measures available to differentiate among individuals for whom tinnitus is a problem and those for whom it is a severe disability. There has been no treatment that has been effective for large numbers of individuals. To develop and evaluate a method of classifying tinnitus. To evaluate, experimentally, a new and promising treatment for tinnitus called tinnitus habituation therapy. The classification of tinnitus method will make use of otoacoustic emissions measurements.
Otoacoustic emissions are sounds the ear generates.
A healthy ear not only processes sound but generates it. One way to measure otoacoustic emissions is to present 2 tones of different frequencies in an individual's ear and listen for distortion of these tones. This distortion product manifests itself as a third tone. Software to measure patterns of distortion product otoacoustic emissions in individuals will be developed. The habituation therapy program attempts to treat tinnitus by separating any negative emotional experiences associated with tinnitus, such as anxiety, fear, danger, from the actual condition.