Once you have matched your tinnitus, you are ready to begin bimodal stimulation training. This process combines external audio tones played through your headphones with physical haptic vibrations on your iPhone and Apple Watch.
Apple HealthKit Authorization and Usage
Tinnitus Sync will request HealthKit access when you start a training session for the first time. If you Allow the App the requested capabilities, it will create a Workout for every training session, as well as log the training session duration to your Mindful Minutes. Additionally, the App will read the Workouts it has created for you to display as your training history.
If you have an Apple Watch, you may need to additionally authorize HealthKit access on your Apple Watch. There is an added benefit to approving Apple HealthKit access. Doing so will allow the app to utilize the background processing mode on the Apple Watch. This system permission is required by watchOS to keep the custom haptic metronome running when your watch screen goes off during a session. Without this permission, the App on your Apple Watch will be subject to power manangement restrictions and will stop triggering haptics after some period of time, typically 2-3 minutes. That may be shorter than your desired training session time.
Physical Device Setup
Because the training requires you to register physical touch alongside the sound, device placement is critical.
- Headphones: Wear high-quality headphones. We recommend not using full noise-canceling mode, so your ears remain open to the natural sounds of the room during training.
- The Apple Watch: Put on your Apple Watch and open the companion app. Ensure it says "Ready." The watch has an incredibly precise haptic engine that will tap your wrist.
- The iPhone Placement: Hold your iPhone in the hand opposite your Watch arm, on your torso, or on your leg. The iPhone's internal vibration motor will act as an anchor point for the touch sensation.
It's no problem if you don't have an Apple Watch. Your iPhone will vibrate to provide the physical stimulation. An Apple Watch provides a second location for physical stimulation. In my personal experience, that helped me with my training. You may or may not get additional benefit from an Apple Watch.
How to Start a Session
- Select Your Matches: In the Training tab, select the match profile you created. If you created multiple match profiles for polyphonic tinnitus, check all of them. The app will blend them together dynamically.
- Set the Duration: My standard session is typically 10 to 15 minutes.
- Set Stimulation Pacing (Samples per Minute): This controls how many bursts of sound/vibration happen per minute. You can adjust this to be slower and more grounding, or faster and more intensive. I added this because I've learned for myself I don't want the same intensity every day.
What to Expect During the Session
When you press "Start Training," you will not hear a continuous tone. Instead, you will hear brief bursts of your tinnitus match profile sound.
The Randomization Jitter: You will notice that the bursts do not follow a perfect metronome rhythm. Sometimes they are slightly faster, sometimes slightly slower. This is intentional. The app uses a stochastic randomization algorithm to prevent your brain from memorizing a rhythm and "tuning it out." By keeping the rhythm slightly unpredictable, it encourages active attention rather than passive listening.
Sit back, relax, and let the synchronized sound and vibration do the work.
The Concept Behind Bimodal Focus
Tinnitus Sync is inspired by general multisensory research, which suggests that combining an auditory task (sound) with a somatosensory task (touch or vibration) can help anchor your attention in interesting way, like habituation to an internally generated sound. By playing a sound through your headphones and pairing it with a physical stimulation at the exact same time, the app provides a grounding, real-world sensory event to go with an auditory event that is similar to your tinnitus (based on how well you matched it).
In my personal experience, with consistent daily practice, this helped me to ignore my tinnitus over time. I've also learned I have to do this regularly so I can keep ignoring my tinnitus. Your experience will differ and no results are guaranteed.