Name of treatment

Neuromodulation (Acoustic CR neuromodulation)

Type of treatment

Physical device

Claims for treatment

Reduce tinnitus symptoms by desynchronization, anti-kindling, and change of abnormal frequency couplings.

How treatment is delivered

In ear sound generation device

Potential negative consequences

Regarded as safe and well tolerated.[1]

Evidence offered:

Papers available

PubMed database has 20 papers with both ‘tinnitus’ and ‘neuromodulation’ in the title. Eight studies were included in a systematic review1.

Conclusions drawn

The available evidence is insufficient for clinical implementation of acoustic CR neuromodulation. A proof for the claim of desynchronization is still lacking.1

Quality of evidence[2]

A

Does the BTA recommend this treatment?

No, until more high quality evidence is available

BTA opinion on this treatment:

Independent evidence of effectiveness of neuromodulation for tinnitus management is lacking.

Would the BTA support further studies into this treatment?

Yes, provided study is of high quality.

Verdict: Safety - is this treatment harmful?

  Regarded as safe

Verdict: Efficacy - does this treatment work?

  No evidence of effectiveness

[1] Wegger M, Ovesen T, Larsen DG. Acoustic Coordinated Reset Neuromodulation: A Systematic Review of a Novel Therapy for Tinnitus. Front Neurol. 2017;8:36. Published 2017 Feb 13. doi:10.3389/fneur.2017.00036

[2] A = Systematic review/meta analysis. B = Randomised control studies. C = Cohort studies. D = Case control studies. E = case studies/reports. +/- to be used to indicate quality within bands

Download this information:

Tinnitus_and_neuromodulation_April_2019.pdf

Published 15 April 2019