CASE STUDY
TINNITUS SOUND THERAPY WITH A MOBILE
APPLICATION: CASE STUDY
Piotr H. Skarzynski
1,2,3
| 1 | World Hearing Center, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Kajetany,
Poland |
| 2 | Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Medical
University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland |
| 3 | Institute of Sensory Organs, Kajetany, Poland |
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article;
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Justyna Kutyba
Justyna Kutyba, MSc, Teleaudiology and Screening Examinations Department, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Mokra 17 St.; 05-830 Kajetany, Poland; email: j.kutyba@ifps.org.pl
Justyna Kutyba, MSc, Teleaudiology and Screening Examinations Department, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Mokra 17 St.; 05-830 Kajetany, Poland; email: j.kutyba@ifps.org.pl
Publication date: 2019-12-31
J Hear Sci 2019;9(4):51–56
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Every year more people suffer from tinnitus. Therapy for the condition requires a comprehensive approach to the patient. Despite the existence of many treatment methods, none is 100% effective. After a physician has excluded organic diseases, it is standard practice to try sound therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sound therapy by means of a free mobile application ReSound Tinnitus Relief in a patient with very troublesome tinnitus.
Case study:
The patient, a 34-year-old woman, reported very troublesome tinnitus, described as a constant, non-pulsating ringing sound felt “inside the head”. The patient was offered sound therapy using a widely available application installed on a mobile phone. Progress of the therapy and changes in tinnitus perception were evaluated using two standardized questionnaires: the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and the Tinnitus Functional Index. Results from both questionnaires showed that overall tinnitus annoyance decreased after 3 and 6 months of use
Conclusions:
The data demonstrate that the use of sound therapy on a mobile app can provide satisfactory results, at least in this patient. However, it is not possible to say that such sound therapy will bring relief to all patients. Nevertheless, it is an option that a doctor can offer to their patient. A further study is needed on a large group of people to confirm whether it is possible to replace conventional sound generators with mobile solutions.
Every year more people suffer from tinnitus. Therapy for the condition requires a comprehensive approach to the patient. Despite the existence of many treatment methods, none is 100% effective. After a physician has excluded organic diseases, it is standard practice to try sound therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sound therapy by means of a free mobile application ReSound Tinnitus Relief in a patient with very troublesome tinnitus.
Case study:
The patient, a 34-year-old woman, reported very troublesome tinnitus, described as a constant, non-pulsating ringing sound felt “inside the head”. The patient was offered sound therapy using a widely available application installed on a mobile phone. Progress of the therapy and changes in tinnitus perception were evaluated using two standardized questionnaires: the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and the Tinnitus Functional Index. Results from both questionnaires showed that overall tinnitus annoyance decreased after 3 and 6 months of use
Conclusions:
The data demonstrate that the use of sound therapy on a mobile app can provide satisfactory results, at least in this patient. However, it is not possible to say that such sound therapy will bring relief to all patients. Nevertheless, it is an option that a doctor can offer to their patient. A further study is needed on a large group of people to confirm whether it is possible to replace conventional sound generators with mobile solutions.
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