title: Influence of tinnitus sound therapy signals on the intelligibility of speech.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the influence on speech intelligibility of various signals used in tinnitus sound therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured, in normal hearing subjects, the intelligibility of speech in the presence of three different sound therapy signals: wide-band noise, a recording of moving water, and a combination of tones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For a given level of stimulation, speech intelligibility was worst in the presence of wide-band noise, compared with the other sound therapy signals. When the stimulation level of the three different signals was increased, speech intelligibility deteriorated more rapidly with wide-band noise, compared with the other two signals. The combination of tones had the least influence on speech intelligibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of different tinnitus sound therapy signals can lead to significantly different effects on the intelligibility of speech. The use of natural sound recordings or combinations of tones may provide the patient with more flexibility to change the stimulation level during treatment.
authors: CNR-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), c/o Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. alessia.paglialonga@polimi.it
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Paglialonga
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Fiocchi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Parazzini
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ravazzani
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Tognola
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D011594:Psychometrics; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult