ABSTRACT of a research paper presented at the 90th Annual Cinical Assembly of the American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Orlando, FL, May 3-7, 2006.

Phase Shift Treatment for Predominant Tone Tinnitus

Ruthann I. Lipman, DO¹; Sidney P. Lipman, MD¹; Kirk W. Steehler, DO¹

¹ Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA

The purpose of this study was to “independently evaluate the effectiveness of phase shift treatment for predominant tone tinnitus.”

The paper stated, “Our research demonstrates a significant decrease in tinnitus intensity after short-term treatment with 46% of our patients demonstrating complete residual inhibition for 1-7 days.”

The report continued, “These outcomes suggest that this device [the Tinnitus Phase-Out™ Portable Treatment Device] may be a valuable tool.”

Furthermore, the report stated, “In this era of managed care medicine, solutions for tinnitus are not uniformly covered in a comprehensive manner leaving much of the burden of cost to the patient. Therefore, a treatment that is largely self-directed, portable, and available for home use becomes very desirable from a medical economic standpoint. After physician determination of patient response during a designated time period, chosen responders would likely benefit from continued home use of this device.”

Click here for the complete abstract “poster” in pdf format.

ABSTRACT of a research paper presented at the European Federation of Audiology Societies, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 20-22, 2005.

An Effective Solution for the Treatment of Tinnitus Using Phase Shift Technology

Dr. E. Noik, Tinnitus Care Centre, London, UK

This study of 81 tinnitus sufferers showed that over 70% of patients benefited from treatment with the Tinnitus Phase-Out™ treatment protocol. These results confirm an earlier study done in New York in which 83% of participants demonstrated a positive response to this treatment.

The study concluded that in view of the results obtained, phase-shift treatment for tinnitus offers the prospect of significant symptomatic improvement for the majority of patients.

Click here for the complete abstract “poster” in pdf format.

ABSTRACT of a research paper
presented at the VIIIth International Tinnitus Seminar,
Pau, France, September 2005

A novel treatment of predominant tone tinnitus with sequential sound cancellation

Daniel S. J. Choy, M.D., F.A.C.P.¹, Ivan Kaminow, PhD²

¹Columbia University & Tinnitus Control Center, USA
²Senior Scientist, Bell Laboratories, Retired

We report on a novel treatment of predominant tone tinnitus using phase-shift sound cancellation in 112 patients. Using earphones, the patients’ tinnitus is self-assessed in frequency (Hz) and amplitude (dB) five times to ensure accuracy. A pure sine wave based on this data is fed into the earphones at six degrees out of phase sequentially (6, 12, 18, 24, 30, etc.) for 30 seconds each for 30 minutes, or until 360 degrees have been achieved. Mathematical calculations show that with this “shotgun” method, sound cancellation occurs 1/3 of the time irrespective of when the patient’s tinnitus wave begins. That is, the cancellation is independent of the phase of the patient’s tinnitus wave.

The study was carried out in Parts 1 and 2.

Part 1. Design of study. 35 patients with predominant tone tinnitus of greater than 6 months duration unresponsive to all previous treatments were enrolled and rotated through a 3-arm study: A, B, and C.

Group A were the control, sham group. Treatment consisted of an arbitrary sound wave at 1000 Hz and 77dB x10 minutes, without phase-shift, weekly x3.

Group B, 180-degree phase-shift; received their own self-assessed sound wave phase-shifted 180 degrees x10 minutes weekly x3.

Group C received the 6-degree sequential “shotgun” phase-shifted wave based on their self-assessed frequency and amplitude x30 minutes weekly x3. The reason for this group being treated for 30 minutes is explained under “Methods.”

Immediately before and after the treatments, each patient self-assessed his frequency and amplitude through matching. All patients were rotated through the three arms, so that data were obtained on 102, and not 105 subjects, because of 3 drop-outs.

A 6 dB reduction in amplitude was considered a positive response. Groups A, B, and C had responses of 24%, 27%, and 82% respectively. The difference between A and C was a p<0.001.

Part 2. 54 patients were treated solely with the 6 degree sequential “shotgun” method for 30 minutes weekly x3. 49 patients had a reduction in their tinnitus amplitude greater than 6 dB for a success rate of 91%.

Subsequently a group of 23 patients were treated as above, but on a tiw (Monday-Wednesday-Friday) schedule for one week. 21 of 23 responded, also for a rate of 91%.

All responding patients were provided with a compact disc customized to their specific treatment frequencies. The current instructions are for them to self treat with the CD at home using a high fidelity CD player and earphones tiw x 1 month; then, if the tinnitus improves, to progress to a q4, q5, q6, q7 day schedule x 1 month for each change, and to increase the frequency of treatment only if the tinnitus begins to worsen.

Conclusions. In the 3-arm study with 35 patients rotated through each arm, reduction of predominant tone tinnitus was seen in 24%, 27%, and 82% of the control arm, a 180-degree phase-shift arm, and a 6-degree sequential phase-shift arm, respectively. The difference between the control and 6-degree arms was a p<0.001.

A subsequent group of 54 patients treated with the 6-degree sequential “shotgun” phase-shift method weekly x3 showed responses in 49, or 91%.

A last group of 23 patients similarly treated, but only for one week on a tiw schedule, showed responses in 21, or 91%.

We believe a 6-degree sequential phase-shift “shotgun” method based on the patient’s self-assessed frequency and amplitude shows promise in the treatment of single tone tinnitus.