Exploring App-Based Physiotherapy for Somatic Tinnitus: Results from a Pilot Study.

Somatic tinnitus (ST) is a type of tinnitus that is influenced by changes in somatosensory input from the cervical spine or temporomandibular area. Although traditional physiotherapy has been shown to reduce ST symptoms, in-clinic treatment is not always available, and adherence to home exercise programs is often low. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an app-based physiotherapy program to enhance the compliance and availability of treatment for ST patients. This pilot randomised controlled trial included 38 adult patients with chronic somatic tinnitus. Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group receiving a 9-week app-based cervical spine exercise program or a control group. The primary outcome was tinnitus distress measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). As a secondary outcome we used the Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ). Participants in the treatment group showed significant reductions in tinnitus distress, with a large effect size for both the THI and Mini-TQ groups (Cohen's d = 1.71 and 1.02, respectively). The control group showed no significant changes. This study provides evidence that an app-based physiotherapy intervention is a feasible and effective treatment for ST. Further research with larger sample sizes and comparisons to traditional in-clinic treatments is needed to confirm these findings. Additional studies on personalised treatment might further improve the treatment.