Internet/smartphone-based applications for the treatment of tinnitus: a systematic review

Nagaraj, Megha Kondli; Prabhu, Prashanth

doi:10.1007/s00405-019-05743-8

Cited by 25 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…A wide selection of free apps allows the user to experiment with each, so the patient can choose the best one for their own needs. There are only a few studies on the use of mobile applications in tinnitus therapy [38]. For example, Henry et al [19] developed one and tested it on a group of 25 people for 8 weeks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of tinnitus therapy using a mobile application

Kutyba

Gos

Jędrzejczak

et al. 2021

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol

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Background The World Health Organization reports that the number of tinnitus sufferers is increasing year on year. Given the common use of mobile devices and the availability of applications designed to support patients in tinnitus therapy and reduce tinnitus severity, patients seeking help are likely to try this form of support. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application in tinnitus sound therapy, in this case ReSound Tinnitus Relief™. Methods The study involved 52 patients hospitalized for tinnitus. All participants used the free ReSound Tinnitus Relief application for 6 months. The application is based on sound therapy. Patients were advised to use the application for at least 30 min per day, the sounds should not completely mask the tinnitus, and they should be listened to via a loudspeaker. The effects of the therapy were evaluated by means of standardized questionnaires for tinnitus severity: the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and the Tinnitus Functional Index. Results The study showed a reduction in tinnitus severity as measured by both questionnaires. The general severity decreased after the first 3 months and again in the following 3 months of using the application. In both questionnaires the biggest changes were observed in the subscales of emotions. Conclusions Results obtained here from standardized questionnaires indicate that the tested application may contribute to tinnitus reduction. However, it is advisable to conduct further research on the applicability of such technology in medical practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of tinnitus therapy using a mobile application

Kutyba

Gos

Jędrzejczak

et al. 2021

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol

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show abstract

“…As proficiently reviewed in a recent work [4], some internet/smartphone-based applications provide in tinnitus patients adequate counseling and interactive information together with sound therapy. As brain networks implicated in adaptive responses to sound stimuli and to worry are shared in many cases, an early decrease of anxiety status may release neural resources crucial for tinnitus habituation/ distress perception [5].…”

Section: To the Editormentioning

confidence: 99%

Tinnitus revival during COVID-19 lockdown: how to deal with it?

Anzivino

Sciancalepore

Petrone

et al. 2020

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol

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“…Nevertheless, among pre-existing literature, some papers have discussed the role of tinnitus smartphone apps in clinical scenarios. For instance, internet- and smartphone-based solutions for treatment and management of tinnitus have been reviewed in [ 59 ], similarly, the review by Kalle et al [ 60 ] discusses internet- or smartphone-delivered cognitive behavior therapy with particular focus on self-help for tinnitus. Both of these papers demonstrate the role of several approaches and technologies involved in advancing tinnitus clinical practice but focus less on current and available apps for patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smartphone and Mobile Health Apps for Tinnitus: Systematic Identification, Analysis, and Assessment

Mehdi¹,

Stach²,

Riha³

et al. 2020

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background Modern smartphones contain sophisticated high-end hardware features, offering high computational capabilities at extremely manageable costs and have undoubtedly become an integral part in users' daily life. Additionally, smartphones offer a well-established ecosystem that is easily discoverable and accessible via the marketplaces of differing mobile platforms, thus encouraging the development of many smartphone apps. Such apps are not exclusively used for entertainment purposes but are also commonplace in health care and medical use. A variety of those health and medical apps exist within the context of tinnitus, a phantom sound perception in the absence of any physical external source. Objective In this paper, we shed light on existing smartphone apps addressing tinnitus by providing an up-to-date overview. Methods Based on PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched and identified existing smartphone apps on the most prominent app markets, namely Google Play Store and Apple App Store. In addition, we applied the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) to evaluate and assess the apps in terms of their general quality and in-depth user experience. Results Our systematic search and screening of smartphone apps yielded a total of 34 apps (34 Android apps, 26 iOS apps). The mean MARS scores (out of 5) ranged between 2.65-4.60. The Tinnitus Peace smartphone app had the lowest score (mean 2.65, SD 0.20), and Sanvello—Stress and Anxiety Help had the highest MARS score (mean 4.60, SD 0.10). The interrater agreement was substantial (Fleiss κ=0.74), the internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach α=.95), and the interrater reliability was found to be both high and excellent—Guttman λ6=0.94 and intraclass correlation, ICC(2,k) 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.97), respectively. Conclusions This work demonstrated that there exists a plethora of smartphone apps for tinnitus. All of the apps received MARS scores higher than 2, suggesting that they all have some technical functional value. However, nearly all identified apps were lacking in terms of scientific evidence, suggesting the need for stringent clinical validation of smartphone apps in future. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to systematically identify and evaluate smartphone apps within the context of tinnitus.

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Internet/smartphone-based applications for the treatment of tinnitus: a systematic review

Cited by 25 publications

References 33 publications

Effectiveness of tinnitus therapy using a mobile application

Effectiveness of tinnitus therapy using a mobile application

Tinnitus revival during COVID-19 lockdown: how to deal with it?

Smartphone and Mobile Health Apps for Tinnitus: Systematic Identification, Analysis, and Assessment

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