Investigation of the effectiveness of kinesio tape treatment in adult individuals with subjective tinnitus

Tinnitus is one of the most common otologic symptoms and has a serious effect on the quality of life. The pathophysiology of tinnitus is not fully understood and no consensus has been reached on an effective treatment method for tinnitus. The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of the Kinesiotape (KT) method in the treatment of subjective tinnitus. 34 individuals with subjective tinnitus and normal hearing were included in the study. Tinnitus measurements (Frequency, severity, Minimal Masking Level (MML), Residual Inhibition (RI), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), SF-36 and Beck Depression Scale were applied to all participants. Study group (n = 17) were informed about tinnitus, and were given KT for 4 weeks, and control group (n = 17) were only informed about tinnitus. All evaluations were repeated at 4 weeks. There was a statistically significant decrease in the tinnitus severity and frequency in the study group after KT (p0.05), however there was no statistically significant difference (p> 0.05) between the first and the last evaluation in the control group. There was no significant difference found (p>0.05) between the first and the last evaluation in both groups on MML and RI scores. In both groups, statistically significant difference was found between the first and last evaluation of the catastrophic and total scores of THI with VAS in the severity of tinnitus, level of tinnitus discomfort, effect of tinnitus on quality of life scores. In the study group, unlike the control group, significance improvement is achieved (p> 0.05) on hearing loss, level of tinnitus discomfort with VAS and the emotional score of THI with KT. There was no statistically significant difference in the BDI scores between the initial and final evaluations in the control group (p> 0.05). As a result it is achieved with both audiological and perceptual evaluations that, there was significant improvement in the severity of tinnitus, level of tinnitus discomfort, quality of life and perception of depression on the individuals with KT.