Tinnitus, sometimes known as ringing or buzzing in the ear, affects millions of individuals worldwide and has no cure. However, researchers have shown that a smartphone app that provides training and therapy can considerably decrease the effects of tinnitus in a matter of weeks.
The findings are the outcome of a trial investigating the use of an app, MindEar, to give cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It seeks to change a person’s perspective on their tinnitus so that it becomes less visible.
Researchers recruited 30 people with tinnitus and divided them into two groups. One received CBT through MindEar’s chatbot, Tinnibot, and the other had four 30-minute online counseling sessions in addition to CBT with Tinnibot. The intervention lasted eight weeks, but the individuals were monitored for an additional two months.
The study discovered that in both groups, participants’ tinnitus-related suffering improved significantly with time.
Leas author and MindEar co-founder Dr Fabrice Bardy said,
In our trial, two thirds of users of our chatbot saw improvement after 16 weeks. This was shortened to only 8 weeks when patients additionally had access to an online psychologist,
Tinnitus, which is expected to impact over 740 million adults worldwide, can occasionally resolve on its own. However, for those who still have it, the uncomfortable buzzing, grinding, or ringing sounds it produces can have a life-changing impact. Tinnitus can cause severe changes in hearing, focus, and mood, including anxiety and sadness.
Brady said,
One of the most common misconceptions about tinnitus is that there is nothing you can do about it; that you just have to live with it. This is simply not true. Professional help from those with expertise in tinnitus support can reduce the fear and anxiety attached to the sound patients experience,
Fellow study author and psychologist Professor Suzanne Purdy explained.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is known to help people with tinnitus, but it requires a trained psychologist. That’s expensive, and often difficult to access.
