Tinnicure: Tinnitus Frequency Detection and Notched Noise Generation

Abstract

Tinnitus is a neurological condition characterized by the perception of phantom sounds, commonly described as ringing in the ears, in the absence of external auditory stimuli. Affecting over 10% of the global population, it poses significant challenges due to the lack of a standardized and accessible treatment method. This paper presents a web-based application that enables self-diagnosis and personalized white noise therapy through frequency masking. Using the Web Audio API, the system allows users to identify their tinnitus frequency and applies real-time notch filtering to generate therapeutic audio tailored to their condition. The solution operates entirely within the browser, requiring no external plugins or backend servers, thereby ensuring data privacy and cross-platform compatibility. Additionally, the application supports treatment session tracking via local storage, enabling users to monitor progress without compromising anonymity. By offering a cost-effective, accessible, and user-friendly alternative to conventional therapies, this work contributes a scalable digital approach for tinnitus management suitable for both individual use and future clinical expansion.

Introduction

Overview of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the perception of sound (ringing, buzzing, hissing) without an external source, affecting 10–15% of adults globally, especially the elderly. While some experience mild symptoms, others face severe disturbances including sleep disruption, anxiety, and depression. Tinnitus is often linked to cochlear damage from noise exposure, age-related hearing loss, ototoxic drugs, or diseases like Meniere’s.

Pathophysiology

The condition arises when damaged cochlear regions cause abnormal activity in auditory pathways, leading to maladaptive neuroplasticity. This central hyperactivity is interpreted by the brain as sound, making tinnitus comparable to phantom limb pain.

Types

• Subjective tinnitus (most common): Only the patient hears the sound.

• Objective tinnitus (rare): Audible to others, often caused by internal bodily sounds like vascular or muscular anomalies.

Clinical Presentation

Tinnitus varies in sound type (ringing, pulsatile), duration (intermittent or constant), and location (unilateral or bilateral). It's frequently associated with hearing loss and may be influenced by factors like noise exposure, medications, head injury, or systemic diseases.

Psychological and Neurological Impact

Chronic tinnitus affects attention, mood, and social interaction. Neuroimaging shows involvement of emotional and attentional brain networks. It is thus both a sensory and affective disorder.

Traditional Treatment Approaches

1. Medication

Drugs like antidepressants or anticonvulsants may treat associated conditions but show limited efficacy for tinnitus itself. Some drugs can worsen tinnitus.

2. Behavioral Therapy

• CBT is highly recommended and effective in reducing distress.

• Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) combines counselling with sound enrichment for habituation.

• Limited access to trained professionals has spurred development of online CBT tools.

Sound Therapy Techniques

Sound therapy aims to reduce tinnitus perception by masking or retraining the brain.

Broadband Masking

Uses white or pink noise to cover the tinnitus sound, providing temporary relief.

Frequency-Specific Approaches

• Notched Sound Therapy: Removes a narrow frequency band around the tinnitus pitch from white noise to reduce cortical activity at that frequency.

• Narrowband Therapy: Delivers sound in a band near the tinnitus frequency.

• Harmonic Therapy: Plays tones at the tinnitus frequency and its harmonics.

Studies show these personalized therapies can reduce tinnitus symptoms, though results are mixed and more research is needed.

Literature Review Highlights

Research confirms tinnitus is linked to abnormal neural activity in auditory pathways, especially around damaged cochlear regions (Lesion Projection Zone and Lesion Edge Frequencies). Customized sound therapies targeting these frequencies have shown promise. Emerging web technologies like the Web Audio API enable real-time, browser-based therapy delivery, increasing accessibility and customization.

Problem Statement

Despite the prevalence of tinnitus and the promise of sound therapy, existing solutions are:

• Often expensive, inaccessible, or not user-friendly.

• Lacking real-time personalization or session tracking.

• Dependent on clinical infrastructure or specialized hardware.

There is a need for a browser-based, user-controlled, privacy-preserving platform that enables:

• Self-diagnosis of tinnitus frequency.

• Real-time generation of personalized, frequency-masked noise.

• Local session logging and progress tracking.

Proposed Methodology

A browser-native system is proposed using React.js, Next.js, and the Web Audio API to deliver notched white noise therapy.

Client-Side Workflow:

1. Frequency Detection: User identifies their tinnitus tone through guided tone matching (coarse-to-fine approach).

2. White Noise Generation: Random white noise is created using Web Audio API.

3. Notch Filtering: A Biquad notch filter removes the tinnitus frequency from the white noise.

4. Playback & Controls: Users can control volume and playback; all audio is played through browser.

5. Session Logging: Therapy data (frequency, duration, volume) is stored locally for privacy and progress tracking.

Technical Implementation:

• Built as a single-page React app.

• OscillatorNode and filters used for audio generation and manipulation.

• Frequency detection guided by ERB-based tone matching.

• No server involvement ensures privacy.

Conclusion

This study presented the design and implementation of a browser-based tinnitus therapy system utilizing frequency-masked white noise generated through the Web Audio API. The system provides a complete diagnostic-to-treatment flow, guiding users through tinnitus frequency identification using calibrated tone-matching methods and delivering personalized notched noise for auditory relief. The use of modern web technologies such as React.js and real-time audio filtering via BiquadFilterNode ensures a lightweight, platform-independent solution requiring no software installation.Through mock data evaluation and interactive user interface testing, the system demonstrated its ability to estimate tinnitus frequencies ranging from 250 Hz to 9000 Hz, with the majority concentrated between 2–6?kHz. Results further revealed that left-ear tinnitus was more prevalent, and therapy sessions averaged 35–45 minutes—indicating promising user engagement and system usability. Unlike generic white noise generators, this solution applies targeted frequency masking, aligned with clinical recommendations that therapy is more effective when customized to the user\'s tinnitus characteristics. The system architecture also supports session tracking, enabling future integration with user analytics and therapeutic progress dashboards. While the current version is limited to client-side operation and simulated usage data, the framework is scalable and can be extended with backend data storage, user accounts, and long-term tracking. Future work will include clinical validation, integration of AI-assisted frequency detection, and exploring adaptive filtering techniques for dynamic tinnitus masking. Overall, this research contributes a novel, accessible, and customizable tool for tinnitus management, aligning with ongoing efforts to digitize and personalize auditory healthcare.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Harsh Manhar, Swikrit Shukla, Sania Naz Ansari, Shreya Dubey, Savita Sahu. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.