Method and apparatus for controlling a hearing instrument to relieve tinitus, hyperacusis, and hearing loss

A method for controlling a hearing instrument for relieving tinnitus, hyperacusis, and/or hearing loss,

• receiving and manipulating an audio signal at a signal processor to create a manipulated audio signal;
• providing a tinnitus relief sound generated by modulating a blue, violet or grey colored noise signal by a preprogrammed modulation scheme, the preprogrammed modulation scheme including modulation of the amplitude and/or frequency and/or phase, wherein the preprogrammed modulation scheme provides an output signal which simulate environmental sounds,
• generating an output signal based on a combination of the manipulated audio signal and the tinnitus relief sound, and
• providing the output signal to an output transducer,
• wherein the preprogrammed modulation sequence has a finite duration and is repeated, with an offset time that is a fraction of the length of the finite duration, consistent over and over again, until the tinnitus relief function is disabled manually or by expiry of a given period of time.