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Abstract
Background: Counseling, stress reduction and sound stimulation have been effective in management of tinnitus sufferers. Aim of the work: To investigate the effectiveness of using sound stimulation by (Zen tones) technology in hearing aids for patients suffering from tinnitus. Methods: This study included 40 subjects with hearing loss and suffering from tinnitus. The subjects were divided into 2 equal groups: Both groups received counseling for 2 months then amplification for another 4 months. The study group had their hearing aids with Zen program activated. They were assessed by the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and tinnitus functional index (TFI) post-counseling and post hearing aids fitting. Results: Post-counseling, none of the cases or controls showed improvement in the > 20 points in the total THI score. Only 20% of the study group and 15% of the controls showed improvement in the tinnitus severity degree. And only one of the study groups showed improvement in the TFI > 13 points. After using hearing aids, (80%) of the study group showed improvement in the tinnitus severity degree assessed by THI compared to (60%) of the controls. And 20% showed improvement {u2265} 20 points in the total THI score, compared to none of the controls but this difference was not statistically significant. Both the study and control groups showed improvement in the TFI. Half of the study group showed improvement in the TFI > 13 points, compared to only 10% of the controls, and this was statistically significant. At the end of the study, both groups showed comparable improvement in THI tinnitus severity degree: (75%) of the study group and in (85%) of the control group. But 60% of the study group and only 15% of the controls showed improvement {u2265} 20 points in total THI score and this difference was statistically significant. And (85%) of the study group showed improvement in the > 13 points in total TFI score following both counseling and hearing aid fitting, compared to 50% of the controls, and this was statistically significant. Conclusion: Counseling alone had no significant effect on tinnitus improvement in the hearing impaired patients. The combined approach of counseling and amplification resulted in remarkable improvement. And added music resulted in greater improvements, but was more effective when the loudness of the perceived tinnitus was weaker