title: Effectiveness of the combined hearing and masking devices on the severity and perception of tinnitus: a randomized, controlled, double-blind study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined hearing and tinnitus masking devices that are appropriately programmed for acoustic stimulations using wide-band noise over the specific frequency range of tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group I (12 patients) was managed with betahistine dihydrochloride (2HCl) and fitted either with a combined hearing aid or a sound generator, and group II (9 patients) was treated with betahistine 2HCl for 3 months. Audiological tests, pitch matching to determine the frequency of tinnitus, an assessment of tinnitus severity, and subjective scores (visual analog scale, VAS; Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire) were used to assess the patients in both groups, and a loudness scale was also analyzed in group I. The results were evaluated in a double-blinded manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decreases in the severity of tinnitus, Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire score and VAS were observed in both groups. No significant differences were obtained in pitch-matched frequency of tinnitus in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings obtained using either the combined devices or the masking devices with wide-band masking demonstrate that these devices are an effective tinnitus treatment alternative.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Isilay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oz
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Evren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hizal
authors.forename: Seyra H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Erbek
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eryaman
authors.forename: Ozgul A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Senkal
authors.forename: Terkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogurlu
authors.forename: Alp Ertunga
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kizildag
authors.forename: Levent N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ozluoglu
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001621:Betahistine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006320:Hearing Tests; D017442:Histamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010898:Pitch Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017442:Histamine Agonists; D001621:Betahistine