Tinnitus neuromodulation research
This page summarizes some of the published research behind sound-based neuromodulation for tinnitus, including notched-sound therapy, acoustic coordinated reset (CR) neuromodulation, and related sound therapies. It is informational only and not medical advice.
1. Notched sound / notched music therapy
Notched sound therapy plays pleasant audio (usually music) with a “notch” removed around the person's tinnitus frequency. The idea is to reduce over-activity of neurons tuned to that frequency over time.
- Early work showed that tailor-made notched music could reduce tinnitus loudness and related auditory cortex activity after weeks of daily listening. (Okamoto et al., 2010).
- Later randomized trials found that notched music can help some patients, but does not always clearly outperform ordinary music for everyone. (Therdphaothai et al., 2021).
- Recent systematic reviews suggest notched music / sound therapy is a promising, non-invasive option for some people, but more high-quality trials are still needed.
2. Acoustic coordinated reset (CR) neuromodulation
Acoustic CR plays brief tones around the tinnitus frequency in a specific pattern, aiming to “desynchronize” over-synchronous brain activity linked to tinnitus.
- Real-world and clinical studies have reported reductions in tinnitus loudness and handicap scores after weeks to months of daily CR sound therapy in many patients. (Hauptmann et al., 2015).
- EEG and modelling work shows CR patterns can weaken pathological network connectivity in tinnitus models. (Silchenko et al., 2013).
- Systematic reviews conclude that CR neuromodulation is generally safe and well tolerated, with many patients reporting improvement, but results vary and larger independent trials are still required.
3. General sound therapy & music-based approaches
Beyond specific algorithms, many studies and reviews look at sound therapy more broadly: masking sounds, enriched sound environments, and structured music-based programs.
- Reviews of sound therapy report that regular, personalized sound exposure can reduce tinnitus distress for many people, especially when combined with counselling or CBT.
- Meta-analyses of music therapy find overall reductions in tinnitus loudness and annoyance, though protocols differ between studies.
- A 2024 review of neuromodulation treatments notes that tinnitus is highly individual: techniques may help some patients a lot and others very little, and most work best as part of a multidisciplinary approach including hearing care, psychology, and coping strategies.
What this means for CalmTinnitus
CalmTinnitus is inspired by these neuromodulation approaches. It brings together tinnitus pitch matching, notched-style and CR-style sound patterns, and soothing soundscapes into a tool you can use at home.
Research shows that regular, comfortable use over time is more important than any single session. Results can vary, and no sound app is a guaranteed cure — but for many people, sound-based training is one helpful part of long-term tinnitus management.