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There is no universal approach used to treat hyperacusis, a condition defined as having reactions to sound as too loud, annoying, fearful, or painful. A collaborative report published by prominent researchers recommended counseling and sound therapy for managing hyperacusis, but emphasized the need for rigorously designed clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of these treatments. The investigators developed a face-to-face counseling approach, Hyperacusis Activities Treatment (HAT), and have demonstrated its effectiveness for in-person therapy. In this study, the investigators will conduct a controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the two components of HAT in managing hyperacusis: Aim 1, remotely delivered counseling, and Aim 2, sound therapy. In Aim 1, participants will complete four weeks of remote counseling using instructional videos, homework activities, discussion forums, and hands-on exercises. To ensure rigor in the approach, all participants will complete 4 weeks of weekly monitoring (control) before beginning counseling (treatment) for an additional 4 weeks. In aim 2, participants will be randomized into one of two sound therapy groups: (1) Group 1: Listen to their individually chosen bothersome sounds using successive approximations or a gradual increase in sound level; and (2) Group 2: Listen to continuous, low-level background noise. In both groups, devices will be fit remotely and used for 1-2 hours per day for four weeks. Completion of this R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award project at Augustana College will lead to a shift in hyperacusis management by providing early clinical evidence for the effectiveness of the components that make up the HAT protocol: counseling and sound therapy.
ACEMg (Soundbites) is a neuroprotectant supplement designed to block the initiating biological events in the inner ear leading to inner ear hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, SNHL, which accounts for more than 90% of all hearing loss. SNHL is so common it is called hearing loss. There is no cure for SNHL. The 24-week OTIS Study aims to validate findings from the previous two-year real-world study demonstrating ACEMg (Soundbites) preserved or improved auditory function (hearing) for 75.3% of participants who used it daily, with most improvement occurring within six months. The study also aims to assess the potential of ACEMg to relieve tinnitus, hyperacusis, and hearing sensitivity symptoms. These symptoms are often correlated with SNHL; relief from tinnitus, hyperacusis and hearing sensitivity were were not measured in the previous two-year study. The OTIS study aims to answer two questions. First, does the real-world data demonstrate that hearing loss is stabilized or improved at the end of the test among participants with SNHL at the beginning? Second, do participants who self-report tinnitus, hyperacusis, or hearing sensitivity symptoms at the start of their test report reduced symptoms at the end? Participants must be eighteen years of age and older and self-report hearing loss and/or tinnitus. The study is conducted at home using a smartphone app and a web-based assessment and data reporting tool developed for this study. The study is conducted at home using an online hearing test and short surveys on tinnitus and hyperacusis. The tests are completed three times: Baseline tests are taken before participants begin to take ACEMg softgel capsules daily. The Test is repeated at about 11 and 24 weeks. Assessment scores at the beginning of the study will be compared with scores at the end. Participation in the study is free.