Our Journey to Understanding Notch Therapy

If you’re here, chances are you’re familiar with the persistent ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound that no one else seems to hear. We get it, because we have it too. It’s a frustrating, and often isolating, experience. On our own journey to find some measure of relief, we came across a concept called Notch Therapy, and we built SoundStill to make it simple and accessible for anyone to explore for themselves.

First, it’s important to understand what tinnitus is from a medical perspective. We’re developers, not doctors, so we’ll leave the detailed explanation to the experts. The American Tinnitus Association offers a comprehensive, medically-reviewed overview of the condition, which is a great place to start.

So, what is Notch Therapy? The simplest way to think about it is “targeted sound filtering.” The process starts by identifying the specific pitch of your tinnitus. Then, it takes a broadband sound—like white noise, pink noise, or even the sound of rain—and digitally removes, or “notches out,” that very narrow band of frequencies.

The theory behind it is based on how our brain works. By consistently listening to sound that has your specific tinnitus frequency removed, you may be giving the overactive part of your brain’s hearing center a rest from that tone. Some research suggests this process, known as lateral inhibition, can encourage the brain to reorganize itself over time (a process called neuroplasticity), which may lead to a decrease in the perceived loudness and annoyance of your tinnitus.

It’s important to remember that this isn’t a “cure,” and results can vary greatly from person to person. Consistency is often cited as key by professionals. We created SoundStill to give you a high-quality, easy-to-use tool to explore this therapy for yourself. We hope it helps you on your path to finding a quieter day.