Information & Safety
CalmTinnitus uses modern tinnitus neuromodulation approaches: Notch Therapy and Coordinated Reset (CR Therapy). Below is a simple explanation of what each method does, why you may hear “ticks” or “holes,” and how to use the therapy safely.
1. What does the “hole around your tinnitus pitch” mean?
Notch Therapy plays a continuous sound (usually pink noise) but removes a very narrow band of sound exactly where your tinnitus pitch is located. This removed band is the “hole.”
- Pink noise = all frequencies blended together.
- We mute a tiny slice of sound around your tinnitus frequency.
- This reduction tells the auditory brain to weaken the overactive neurons stuck on that pitch.
Over time, this helps reduce the “gain” of that specific frequency, so the tinnitus signal becomes less dominant.Notch Therapy does not replace medical care, but it is a researched sound tool that may help reduce loudness over time.
2. Why does Relief (CR) Therapy produce ticks, knocks, or gaps?
CR (Coordinated Reset) Therapy uses short pulses of sound at several slightly different frequencies near your tinnitus pitch. These pulses happen in patterns — this is why you hear:
- Gentle “ticks”
- Soft “knocks”
- Very short interruptions (“holes”)
These are normal and fully intentional. Nothing is broken. Nothing is wrong with your speaker or headphones.
CR pulses “disrupt” abnormal synchronous firing in the auditory cortex — the mechanism believed to sustain tinnitus.
You can think of CR Therapy as: “tapping the brain from different angles” to break the locked-in tinnitus rhythm and allow it to reset.
Standard and Sleep modes do NOT include ticks.Only Relief (CR) mode includes them because it is the neuromodulation mode for long-term improvement.
3. Choosing your background sound
CalmTinnitus allows you to pick from pink noise, white noise, brown noise, rain, ocean waves, wind, or Spotify music.
Choose what feels most comfortable — and keep the volume low and pleasant.
You should ALWAYS be able to talk comfortably without raising your voice. If you must shout over the sound, it is too loud.
4. Safety Guidelines
- Use headphones or earphones you find comfortable.
- Keep therapy volume low — comfort is the priority.
- Do not run back-to-back long sessions without breaks.
- If your tinnitus becomes sharper or uncomfortable, pause the session and return later.
- For sudden hearing changes, ear pain, dizziness, or worsening tinnitus, seek medical help.
5. Important Note
CalmTinnitus is a self-help sound tool based on tinnitus neuromodulation research. It does NOT diagnose, cure, or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for professional medical care.