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Influence of tinnitus sound therapy signals on the intelligibility of speech

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2011

A Paglialonga ,
S Fiocchi ,
M Parazzini ,
P Ravazzani  and
G Tognola
A Paglialonga*
Affiliation:
CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), Milan, Italy Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
S Fiocchi
Affiliation:
CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), Milan, Italy Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
M Parazzini
Affiliation:
CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), Milan, Italy
P Ravazzani
Affiliation:
CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), Milan, Italy
G Tognola
Affiliation:
CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica (ISIB), Milan, Italy
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Alessia Paglialonga, Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche CNR, c/o Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milan, Italy Ph: +39 0223993343 Fax: +39 0223993367 E-mail: alessia.paglialonga@polimi.it
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess the influence on speech intelligibility of various signals used in tinnitus sound therapy.

Materials and 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.

Conclusion:

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.

Keywords

Sound TherapySpeech IntelligibilityTinnitus
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 125 , Issue 8 , August 2011 , pp. 795 - 801
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

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