Virtual reality for tinnitus management: a randomized controlled trial. 2022

Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
The Hear-Ring Lab, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA.

Sound therapy (ST) and stress reduction regimens have been successfully used to manage tinnitus. Virtual reality (VR) has been used to manage chronic conditions like intractable pain. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the use of VR in conjunction with ST revealed additional improvements in tinnitus attributes as compared to ST alone. This study was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a cross-over design. All participants received two interventions - ST alone (control) and ST with VR stimuli (experimental). ST consisted of fractal tones while VR stimuli comprised of nature videos presented via VR goggles. A multilevel mixed-effects linear regression model was used to estimate the intervention effect. Twenty adults with subjective, continuous, chronic tinnitus participated in the study. After adjusting for period and baseline tinnitus loudness, significant improvements were observed in tinnitus loudness and Tinnitus Functional Index scores. Although not statistically significant, mean minimum masking levels were lower after the experimental intervention. Study participants benefitted from the use of VR in conjunction with ST in a laboratory setting. Additional effectiveness trials and blinded RCTs will be needed before validating the use of VR for tinnitus management in clinical settings.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002908 Chronic Disease Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2). Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000076142 Virtual Reality Using computer technology to create and maintain an environment and project a user's physical presence in that environment allowing the user to interact with it. Virtual Reality, Educational,Virtual Reality, Instructional,Educational Virtual Realities,Educational Virtual Reality,Instructional Virtual Realities,Instructional Virtual Reality,Realities, Instructional Virtual,Reality, Educational Virtual,Reality, Instructional Virtual,Reality, Virtual,Virtual Realities, Educational,Virtual Realities, Instructional
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D013016 Sound A type of non-ionizing radiation in which energy is transmitted through solid, liquid, or gas as compression waves. Sound (acoustic or sonic) radiation with frequencies above the audible range is classified as ultrasonic. Sound radiation below the audible range is classified as infrasonic. Acoustic Waves,Elastic Waves,Sonic Radiation,Sound Waves,Acoustic Wave,Elastic Wave,Radiation, Sonic,Radiations, Sonic,Sonic Radiations,Sound Wave,Sounds,Wave, Acoustic,Wave, Elastic,Wave, Sound,Waves, Acoustic,Waves, Elastic,Waves, Sound
D014012 Tinnitus A nonspecific symptom of hearing disorder characterized by the sensation of buzzing, ringing, clicking, pulsations, and other noises in the ear. Objective tinnitus refers to noises generated from within the ear or adjacent structures that can be heard by other individuals. The term subjective tinnitus is used when the sound is audible only to the affected individual. Tinnitus may occur as a manifestation of COCHLEAR DISEASES; VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE DISEASES; INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION; CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA; and other conditions. Pulsatile Tinnitus,Ringing-Buzzing-Tinnitus,Spontaneous Oto-Acoustic Emission Tinnitus,Tensor Palatini Induced Tinnitus,Tensor Tympani Induced Tinnitus,Tinnitus of Vascular Origin,Tinnitus, Clicking,Tinnitus, Leudet,Tinnitus, Leudet's,Tinnitus, Noise Induced,Tinnitus, Objective,Tinnitus, Spontaneous Oto-Acoustic Emission,Tinnitus, Subjective,Tinnitus, Tensor Palatini Induced,Tinnitus, Tensor Tympani Induced,Vascular Origin Tinnitus,Clicking Tinnitus,Induced Tinnitus, Noise,Leudet Tinnitus,Leudet's Tinnitus,Noise Induced Tinnitus,Objective Tinnitus,Ringing Buzzing Tinnitus,Spontaneous Oto Acoustic Emission Tinnitus,Subjective Tinnitus,Tinnitus, Leudets,Tinnitus, Pulsatile,Tinnitus, Spontaneous Oto Acoustic Emission,Tinnitus, Vascular Origin

Related Publications

Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
July 2025, The journal of spinal cord medicine,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
February 2016, Cureus,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
November 2018, Rehabilitation psychology,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
April 2022, BMC pregnancy and childbirth,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
October 2013, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
March 2024, Journal of neurology,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
January 2024, International journal of surgery (London, England),
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
September 2025, Obstetrics & gynecology science,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
October 2025, BMC medical education,
Aniruddha K Deshpande, and Ishan Bhatt, and Chanapong Rojanaworarit
March 2016, Hearing research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!