An app supporting the self-management of tinnitus

Abstract

Tinnitus is an annoying ringing in the ears, in varying shades and intensities. Tinnitus can affect a patient’s overall health and social well-being (e.g., sleep problems, trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression and inability to work). Usually, the diagnostic procedure of tinnitus passes through three steps, i.e., audiological examination, psychoa-coustic measurement, and disability evaluation. All steps are performed by physicians, by using dedicated hardware/software and administering questionnaires. The paper reports on the results of a one-year running project whose aim is to directly support patients in such a diagnostic procedure, and in particular on an Android app that controls an ad-hoc developed device and automate both the execution of the audiometric examinations and the administration of the questionnaires that measure the disability induced by the tinnitus.