Intelligent Health.tech Issue 21 | Page 68

PARTICIPANTS WHO EXPERIENCED TINNITUS ALSO COMPLETED AN APP-BASED SOUND TEST TO BETTER CHARACTERISE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF TINNITUS , MATCHING THE TYPE AND QUALITY OF THE SOUNDS THEY EXPERIENCE .
S C R U B B I N G U P

PARTICIPANTS WHO EXPERIENCED TINNITUS ALSO COMPLETED AN APP-BASED SOUND TEST TO BETTER CHARACTERISE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF TINNITUS , MATCHING THE TYPE AND QUALITY OF THE SOUNDS THEY EXPERIENCE .

experiences it , how the experience differs between people and within an individual over time , the potential causes , and the methods for managing tinnitus and their perceived effectiveness .
Tinnitus prevalence
The study found that 77.6 % of participants have experienced tinnitus in their life , with the prevalence of daily tinnitus increasing with age among many . Those ages 55 and up were 3x more likely to hear tinnitus daily compared to those 18 – 34 years old . Additionally , 2.7 % more male participants reported experiencing daily tinnitus compared to females . However , 4.8 % more males stated they had never experienced tinnitus .
Management of tinnitus
In the Apple Hearing Study , participants reported mainly trying three methods to ease their existing tinnitus : using noise machines ( 28 %), listening to nature sounds ( 23.7 %), and practicing meditation ( 12.2 %). Less than 2.1 % of participants chose cognitive and behavioural therapy to manage their tinnitus .
Cause of tinnitus
While there ’ s no guaranteed method to prevent tinnitus given its complex causes , practicing hearing protection and managing stress levels can lower the chances of tinnitus . In the study , participants cited ‘ noise trauma ,’ or exposure to excessively high levels of noise , as the primary cause of tinnitus ( 20.3 %), followed closely by stress ( 7.7 %).
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