Managing tinnitus? These apps can help it buzz off.

By:Liesbeth Keuninckx

Hummmmmm….Buzzzzzz…..CLICKKKK.  

Anyone dealing with tinnitus on the daily knows how tough it can be.  And whatever form yours takes – loud, soft, steady or pulsing – managing it can be a tricky business.  

Not only is it an irritant, but if you feel like you don’t have the right support or toolset to cope, it can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression.  

 

But help is by your side, and closer than you think: …enter the smartphone. When it comes to the best tinnitus-managing apps, it’s the best friend you didn’t know you had. 

 

Because the app world is at your fingertips, and it’s a vast one. Each one with a slightly different approach, but with one goal in mind: to be the best app for tinnitus relief, alleviating your symptoms as best it can.  

 

So, what is the best app for tinnitus? Let’s find out. 

1. Oto - Best app for habituation

Oto is backed by world-leading experts with science-based tools at the ready – all to help you cope with tuning out irritating noise.  

 

Oto works by a process called habituation, which is all about allowing you to tune out unwanted forms of stimuli and focus on the things that you need to. 

 

Imagine you’re working in a super loud office. Too loud to concentrate, think, or even attempt to hit the tight deadline that’s looming. Then you get Oto on the go - cue unwanted noise drifting away and a sharper focus on the work at hand.  

With Oto, it’s all about retraining your brain and changing thought patterns. Which leads to huge improvements on mental health and quality of life. 

With cool features such as cognitive behavioral therapy lessons, relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and a whole library of masking sounds at your disposal – you can have a play around and figure out what works for you. 

 

Other habituation apps we love 

Rewiring Tinnitus Relief Project 

Quieten  

Best apps for tinnitus Best apps for tinnitus

2. Naturespace

Naturespace is the best app for sound masking. Sounds like some sort of superhero power, right? 

The reality is, where tinnitus is concerned, it’s not far off. In fact, it’s said to be one of the most powerful tinnitus sounds apps available to soothe your symptoms.  

And how does it work? It’s simple, really. It’s all about discovering the right kind of background noise to mask the sound of your tinnitus. Okay, although the relief may be more on the temporary side, it is immediate. Which, at times, can be exactly what you need. 

Naturespace stands out and we think it’s the best tinnitus masker app there is.  Complete with high-quality recordings of real nature sounds, it’s been shown to reduce wakeups and provide a deeper sleep. 

 

It’s a free app, with six base soundscapes included, and a massive 120+ recordings, which are available to buy via in-app purchases. 

 

Other sound masking apps we love 

MyNoise 

3. Waking Up - best app for meditation and mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness with Waking Up. Even the sound of the words is relaxing.  

 

When it comes to coping with tinnitus, reducing your stress and anxiety levels is paramount. And getting on board with mindfulness and meditation is a smart and powerful choice.  

 

The metric ton of mindfulness apps out there aren’t slowing down – but the Waking Up meditation app stands out from the crowd. Although not built solely for tinnitus patients, research shows that it hugely helps soothe symptoms of tinnitus. 

 

This tinnitus app helps you to understand the theory behind mindfulness, with a winning combo of ancient wisdom tested by modern science.  

 

Mindfulness has been shown to be helpful for tinnitus coping, but it’s also a remarkably effective way to better manage the health of your mind.  

 

Other apps we love for meditation:  

Calm

Headspace 

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4. Prana breath - Best app for breathing techniques

We all have good days and bad days. And with tinnitus there is no exception.  

Breathing techniques are a popular and powerful way to cope, especially during spikes or when times are tough. 

The science behind it is that some breathing techniques can trigger a relaxation response in the nervous system, with surprising speed. In fact, the benefits are boundless.  

They include:  

° Falling asleep quicker 
° Lowered stress levels 
° Improved emotional regulation 
° Increased energy levels 
° Increased focus 

When it comes to being the best tinnitus app, Prana Breath: Calm & Meditate is up there at the top. 

It features preset breathing tracks, with visual, audio and vibrations cues. And once you get into the groove, you can also set up custom breathing sessions with timing intervals of your choosing. 

There are difficulty and complexity levels that you can adapt to as you practice, with recording and tracking of results over time. And to top it all off, it’s free and ad-free too. 

Another app for breathing work we love:  

Breathwrk  

5. Audio Cardio - Improving hearing loss

For some, tinnitus and hearing loss go hand in hand.   

Although the combo is tough, it opens doors to other treatments, because by improving a person’s hearing function, it will often dramatically improve their tinnitus too. 

AudioCardio is one of the best apps for tinnitus relief, delivering a new type of sound therapy that functions kind of like physical therapy for hearing.  

Using TSC technology, it works by detecting the key frequencies to which the ears have lost sensitivity.  

Pioneering research by Stanford University in 2015, showed that more than 70% of participants had at least a 10-decibel improvement in their hearing after two weeks of using AudioCardio for one hour per day. 

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So there you have it. The burning question: do tinnitus apps work? Yes. When it comes to managing your tinnitus symptoms and improving your quality of life, there are a whole host of options you can try. And if one approach doesn’t work for you, then chances are, another will.  

You’re not alone. Loop are there with you.   

If you’re affected by tinnitus and wondering how it’s diagnosed check out our blog post here.  

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