Brainwave entrainment using binaural beats stimulation: Exploring the treatment efficacy in individuals with tinnitus having normal hearing sensitivity

Abstract

Objective

The study aimed to compare the efficacy of brainwave entrainment in the treatment of individuals with tinnitus having normal hearing sensitivity. The effect of binaural beats (BB) stimulation in reducing negative emotions and tinnitus handicap post-three months is explored in this longitudinal study.

Method

The study comprised sixty individuals (four groups) with tinnitus having normal hearing. The outcome measures of BB with beat frequencies falling under delta (4 Hz), theta (6 Hz), and alpha (10 Hz) and a standard tinnitus masker (white noise) were compared with the pre-treatment baseline scores for tinnitus handicap, depression, and stress levels, and quality of life parameters.

Results

All four groups showed an improvement in tinnitus symptoms and negative emotions. However, the groups that received BB stimulation (I, II, III) showed a remarkable reduction in scores for the tinnitus handicap, depression, and stress levels and an increase in quality-of-life scores for the domains that assessed physical and psychological health when compared to the group IV who received standard tinnitus masker.

Conclusion

It was observed that all three broadband (BB) stimuli were equally effective in treating tinnitus handicap symptoms. However, the results cannot be definitively attributed to brainwave entrainment, as they may also reflect the effects of sound therapy. Additionally, the lack of significant differences among the BB frequencies suggests that the benefits may not arise specifically from brainwave entrainment, especially without a comparison to beta frequency BB. This technique should be adopted into clinical practice with generalizability after further research on a randomized sample.