Phantom Ringing Research Articles

MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS BY ELEVATED DIGITAL SCREEN TIME DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Introduction – The length of time invested in and the various activities carried out utilizing digital devices are referred to as screen time. The COVID-19 pandemic's restrictions on social interactions exacerbated the overuse of digital gadgets for everyday tasks like socializing, education, shopping, working, meeting, and entertainment. Increased screen usage has been thought to have harmful impacts on psychiatric health in studies. Methods – Several journal articles were used as references, with the inclusion criteria of literature that discuss the mental health impacts of elevated digital screen time during the pandemic of COVID-19 and its recommended measures to minimize its adverse mental health outcomes and the promotion of healthy digital habits. Results – During the pandemic of COVID-19, the unprecedented digital life led to higher numbers of anxiety, sadness, confusion, and unpleasant feelings including irritation and violence. it is crucial to know how screen use time evolved during the COVID-19 period of crisis so that the design of health promotion and intervention may be planned and informed. This study aims to discuss the mental health impacts of elevated digital screen time on the pandemic of COVID-19 and strategies to minimize its adverse mental health outcomes, and the promotion of healthy digital habits. Discuss – Boosting collaborative research involving worldwide nations to tackle COVID-19-related public health concerns can improve global evidence and future policies. Increased screen usage has been displayed to have harmful impacts on psychiatric health in studies. Excessive digital use has been linked to attention deficit disorders, social and emotional cognitive impairment, social withdrawal, phantom vibration syndrome, and major psychiatric diseases such as depression, anxiety, and gaming addiction. Conclusion – It is critical to promote good digital practices and good applications of digital media to avoid the negative effects of increased screen time. To prevent hazardous screen usage and other behaviors that may influence the mental health and welfare of COVID-19-affected people, it is critical to harness the evidence available and adopt multimodal strategies. Keywords: mental health, screen time, COVID-19.

Phantom vibration and ringing syndromes among Indian medical students

Mobile phones are now crucial to our everyday routines, transforming how we interact, granting immediate access to information, fostering social bonds, facilitating shopping, advancing healthcare, enriching education, increasing productivity, and broadening entertainment choices. However, excessive phone usage can result in a higher prevalence of physical or psychological disorders. Phantom sensations, such as Phantom Vibration Syndrome (PVS) and Phantom Ringing Syndrome (PRS), describe the experience of feeling vibrations or hearing ringing from a phone when it is not actually vibrating or ringing. The objectives of the present study are a) to develop a self-administered smartphone addiction scale (SAS) among medical students at a tertiary care facility and b) to find out the aggravating factors for PVS and PRS among medical students in a tertiary care hospital. Our study was a cross-sectional observational survey conducted among 473 medical undergraduate students, using stratified random sampling to select the participants. The self-administered questionnaire was developed based on the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), which is validated and efficient for evaluating smartphone addiction. Among the participants, 46% were males and 54% were females. Our study reported that 60% of the students experienced phantom vibration/ringing syndrome, 53% had poor sleep patterns due to excessive use of mobile phones, 58% felt their lives would be empty without phones, 57% thought about mobile phones even when they were not in their hands, and 56% felt the urge to use their smartphones again right after they stopped using them. About 58% of the students preferred talking with smartphone buddies to hanging out with real-life friends or other family members, reflecting poor socialization among young adults. We recommend a qualitative analysis of behavioural and psychological components to explore the root cause of this issue. Literature on the causes of phantom sensations/vibrations has been limited, with existing theories lacking a comprehensive perspective.

Phantom Vibration Syndrome: A Review

Phantom Vibration Syndrome (PVS), also known as phantom ringing, is a fascinating yet perplexing psychological phenomenon associated with the ubiquitous use of mobile technology. This review explores the prevalence, potential mechanisms, psychological implications, and management strategies related to PVS. Drawing upon a range of empirical studies and theoretical frameworks, this review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of PVS and its implications for individuals in the digital age.

Patterns of Internet Addiction in an Italian sample: 100% of the sample experience Nomophobia

Introduction Internet Addiction Disorder, a concept introduced for the first time by Ivan Goldberg in 1995, is one of the most recently identified forms of addiction, but already considered a real psychosocial phenomenon, capable of having a profound impact on different aspects of social and psychological life of individuals. One of its most recently identified manifestations is Nomophobia, a neologism formed from the combination of terms such as “no mobile”, “phone” and “phobia”, which can be understood as the fear of feeling disconnected. It is today considered a situational phobia, characteristic of contemporary times. The most common symptoms include excessive cell phone use and constant anxiety at the thought of losing the internet connection. Others are, for example, “Ringxiety”, ringing anxiety, or the “phantom vibration syndrome”.ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the spread of Nomophobia in the Italian population, evaluating psychopathological correlations that can explain its diffusion.Methods Between January and May 2023, an anonymous online questionnaire was randomly sent to the general population. Alongside with tests to evaluate psycho-social features, the instrument used to study Nomophobia was the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) (Yildrim et al. Comput Hum Behav. 2015; 49:130–7), in its Italian version (Adawi et al. JMIR MHealth UHealth. 2018;6:e24).ResultsThe sample consists of 308 people (189 F, 119 M), with an average age of 32 years (sd 14). In our sample, 100% of the subjects tested positive for Nomophobia. Values indicating a state of severe Nomophobia are found in 12.3% of the sample (F 15.9%, M 6.7%). The young population, between 18 and 25 years old, represents 54% of the affected population, but more than 60% of severe cases (95% confidence interval 50-65%). The severe cases correlate positively (p<0,05) with findings of high impulsiveness. There are no other studies that investigate the psychopathological correlates of Nomophobia among Italians.ConclusionsDespite possible biases, the data obtained are an alarming sign of the spread of internet addiction that characterizes our times, of which the excessive use of cell phones in the form of Nomophobia is an expression. Despite their now undisputed usefulness, mobile devices are capable of causing the onset of serious health problems, starting from exposure to radiation capable of causing dermatitis, tumors, and infertility. Furthermore, they dramatically interfere with driving safety, becoming a major cause of road accidents. Considering these consequences, it appears to be extremely important to characterize the phenomenon, as well as its psychosocial determinants, in order to proceed with its better definition and prevention.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Interrelations of phantom ringing related anxiety and personal self-esteem in undergraduate university students

IntroductionManifestations of phantom ringing syndrome are widely seen in healthy population. Are there any interrelations between this phenomenon and personal psychological characteristics that are connected with the level of their mental health?ObjectivesTo determine the specificity of interrelations of phantom ringing syndrome related anxiety and personal self-esteem in university studentsMethodsThe anonymous survey covered 546 undergraduate university students. The questions were centered on the students’ patterns of their personal smartphone use.Results The research showed that manifestations of phantom ringing syndrome is available in 189 students, or in every third student (34.6%), who use mobile phones. It is equally represented in males (49.7%) and females (50.2). Clinically, it is characterized by a higher level of anxiety, which reliably correlates (p<0.01) with the level of stress (r=.17), level of nervousness caused by absence of a mobile phone (r=.18), the frequency of headache (r=.15), the frequency of medication consumption related to chronic somatic disease (r=.15). We also established valid negative interrelations between the level of phantom ringing syndrome related anxiety and the personal self-esteem based on the parameters of religious belief (r=-.15), personal attractiveness (r=-.16), mind (r=-.17), happiness (r=-.24), liveliness (r=-.25) and well-being (r=-.15). We have not found any proof of valid interrelations with self-assessment of health.ConclusionsThe received results prove that phantom ringing syndrome related anxiety is connected with the personal self-esteem, the level of the perceived stress and some other clinical manifestationsDisclosure of InterestNone Declared

Stress, Anxiety and Depression as an Accelerating Factor for Phantom Vibration and Ringing Syndrome in Medical Students

Stress, Anxiety and Depression as an Accelerating Factor for Phantom Vibration and Ringing Syndrome in Medical Students

A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY ON PHANTOM VIBRATION SYNDROME AND ITS IMPACT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL MORBIDITY AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Background - Phantom vibration syndrome (PVS) is the sensation of false belief that mobile phone is vibrating when actually it is not. It is an emerging psychological disorder due to overuse of mobile phones owing to its charismatic features such as portability, accessibility, etc. Mobile phones have become an essential part of day-to-day life. As a society increasingly dependent on mobile phones, PVS easily becomes a phenomenon of worry. Frequent use of Mobile phones on prolonged vibration mode lead towards PVS. Studies suggest that PVS can cause psychological stress, anxiety, depression and if left unmanaged, primary symptoms progress to advanced stages. Aims and Objectives - To estimate the proportion of Phantom Vibration Syndrome among medical students and to assess the Impact of Phantom Vibration Syndrome on Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Materials and Methods - Across sectional online questionnaire-based study was conducted among 280 medical students of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur from January 2022 to February 2022. Data was collected using pre-tested questionnaire which included questionnaire regarding Mobile phone usage and Psychological well- being. Stress, Anxiety and Depression were assessed using Perceived stress scale, Hamilton Anxiety rating scale and Beck's Depression Inventory Scale respectively. Results – Out Of 280 respondents, 135 (48.2%) are Male and 145 (51.8%) are Female. 74% (208) reported having experienced Phantom Vibration Syndrome (PVS) from mobile phones. Whereas only, 18.57% of Study Participants experienced Phantom Ringing Syndrome. Conclusions – Excessive problematic usage of mobile phone has resulted in various disorders like phantom vibration syndrome, Phubbing, Ringxiety and Nomophobia that deals with psychological or socio behavioral changes. By limiting mobile phone use in a productive way, these health-related problems can be avoided.

How to Train Your Posture: Haptic Feedback Can be Used for Postural Adaptation of the Trunk During Upper-Limb Motor Training.

Poor trunk posture, especially during long periods of sitting, could lead to problems such as Low Back Pain (LBP) and Forward Head Posture (FHP). Typical solutions are based on visual or vibration-based feedback. However, these systems could lead to feedback being ignored by the user and phantom vibration syndrome, respectively. In this study, we propose using haptic feedback for postural adaptation. In this two-part study, twenty-four healthy participants (age 25.87 ± 2.17 years) adapted to three different postural targets in the anterior direction while performing a unimanual reaching task using a robotic device. Results suggest a strong adaptation to the desired postural targets. Mean anterior trunk bending after the intervention is significantly different compared to baseline measurements for all postural targets. Additional analysis of movement straightness and smoothness indicates an absence of any negative interference of posture-based feedback on the performance of reaching movement. Taken together, these results suggest that haptic feedback-based systems could be used for postural adaptation applications. Also, this type of postural adaptation system can be used during the rehabilitation of stroke patients to reduce trunk compensation in lieu of typical physical constraint-based methods.

Assess the Knowledge Regarding Phantom Vibration Disorder among Students in Senior Secondary Schools in Rajhoon, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

The phantom vibration disorder takes place when one falsely thinks that his phone is ringing or another technological device is vibrating from a text message which is not. As society has become increasingly dependent on mobile devices, for mobile user phantom vibrate have become a phenomenon of worry. Aim: Our research study was to assess the knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome among students of senior secondary school, Rajhoon, district Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. To find out the association between knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome among school students and with selected socio-demographic variables. A descriptive research design was selected for the study and a quantitative research approach was used in the present study. The main study was conducted at a senior secondary school, Rahjoon, district Kangra (H.P). 50 students were selected through a convenient sampling technique and a self-structured knowledge questionnaire was used to assess the level of knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome. The study showed that a maximum of students (64%) had moderate knowledge of phantom vibration syndrome, a minimum of 36% had inadequate knowledge whereas 0% had adequate knowledge. There was a significant association between knowledge phantom vibration syndromes with their selected socio-demographic variables except for age.

The unseen strain on health-care professionals: Exploring phantom vibration syndrome

The unseen strain on health-care professionals: Exploring phantom vibration syndrome

Prevalence of Phantom Vibrations and Ringing Syndrome, and its Association with Smartphone Addiction among Medical Students of Teaching Hospital, South India

Introduction Phantom vibration syndrome (PVS) and phantom ringing syndrome (PRS) is a false sensation of phone vibration and ringing when it is not. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of PVS/PRS among medical students and to determine factors including level of smartphone usage associated with the development of phantom sensations. Methods Using cross-sectional analytical design, sociodemographic details, information on phantom sensations and phone usage among medical students in our institution in Puducherry, India, was obtained. Stratified random sampling strategy was incorporated to achieve a sample size of 369. Also, overuse of phone was assessed using Smartphone Addiction scale – short version (SAS-SV). Prevalence of PVS and PRS was summarized as a proportion with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Prevalence ratio for the factors associated with the phantom syndrome (PVS/PRS) was estimated using log-binomial regression. Results Using data from 383 students, the prevalence of phantom syndrome (PVS/PRS) was 44.9% (39.9–50.0%). PVS was more prevalent than PRS (27.9% vs 21.2%). There was a significant difference in SAS-SV scores between those with the phantom syndrome and those without. Students who stay in hostel (aPR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.46 to 2.43), self-reported overuse of phone (aPR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.56 to 2.45) and higher smartphone addiction score (aPR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.53) were found to be significant determinants to have PVS/PRS. Conclusion Overall, one in two medical students had either PVS or PRS in our institution, Puducherry. Higher smartphone usage was a significant predictor of the presence of PVS/PRS.

Timed Vibration Sense and Joint Position Sense among Male University Students Experiencing Phantom Vibration Syndrome, Affecting Their Lifestyle.

Vibration dysfunction can cause a number of pathologies in the body, starting with the distal joints and swiftly progressing to proximal joints if not addressed. As a result, it's important to be aware of vibration dysfunction and syndromes like phantom vibration syndrome. The purpose of the following study was to determine if phantom vibration syndrome affects university male students' lifestyles in terms of vibration sensitivity and joint position sense. A cross sectional study design with a total of 96 individuals were chosen on the basis of random sampling. Participants were assessed for potential phantom vibrations using a self-structured and validated questionnaire approved by clinical experts. Following the completion of questionnaire, the individuals timed vibration sense and Joint position sense were tested using a tuning fork (128 hz) and a full circle goniometer respectively. According to the results of the survey, 100% (96) of individuals experienced phantom vibrations, and 97.9% (94) of individuals assume their phone was ringing when it isn't. 56.3 % (54) of people become anxious due to phantom vibrations or ringing of phone. When current study's median value for timed vibration sensation (4 sec) was compared to previous studies, the results were found to be within normal ranges, implying that the phantom vibration syndrome had no physiological influence on timed vibration sense (VBS). In previous studies, the hip joint position sense average absolute error score decreased linearly from the target position. The reproduce angle from the target position reduced overall in the current study, indicating no change in joint position sense in people experiencing phantom vibration syndrome. Phantom vibration syndrome effects individual psychologically but not physiologically.

The Frequency of Phantom Vibration Syndrome in Medical Staff: A Cross Sectional Survey

Introduction: Phantom vibration syndrome, also known as hypovibochondria or ring-xiety, may occur among individuals carrying digital devices. Phantom vibration syndrome is the mistaken belief that a device is vibrating when it is not. The current study investigates this phenomenon among medical staff who often interact with digital devices throughout duty hours. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of Phantom vibration syndrome in medical staff. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of medical staff was conducted. A convenience sample of 150 physicians, surgeons, allied health professionals, and medical assistants was used. Online survey invitations were sent by email, WhatsApp, and other channels. The data was analysed by SPSS 25.0. The Fisher exact test was used to compare phantom vibrations to categorical data. Results: The results showed that out of 190 medical staff, there were 133 (72.7%) having phantom vibration syndrome. It was significantly associated (p=0.000) with younger age groups from 21-40 year, was seen more in surgeon, physicians and then nurses (p=0.029), associated more with carrying cell phone (p=0.003), more in carrying device in breast and back pocket (p=0.001), more in keeping device on vibration always or most of time (p=0.008) and more in using device from 11-15 or more hours (p=0.001). It was equally distributed in both male females (p=0.176) Conclusion: The study concluded that phantom vibration syndrome was highly prevalent in medical staff. The findings were associated with the length of time the product was used and were more prevalent among surgeons, medical physicians, and nurses in a decreasing order. most respondents regarded the feelings as bothersome and worth stopping and even changing the device. Keywords: Phantom Vibration Syndrome, Medical Staff, Health Practitioner, Digital Devices

Do Chronotypes Influence Problematic Mobile Phone Use and Sleep Quality Among the Doctors? – a Cross-Sectional Study From India

AimsThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of problematic mobile phone use and its association with the chronotypes among the doctors of a medical college hospital in Puducherry, India. It also aimed to assess the feasibility of the University of Rochester Modified CAGE Questionnaire as a brief screening tool for problematic mobile phone use.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India. After obtaining the Institutional ethics committee approval, doctors including consultants, higher trainees, core-trainees, and junior doctors working in various departments were approached and requested to participate in the study. Those who agreed were provided with the participant information sheet and written informed consent was obtained. Part-A of the questionnaire contained requests for personal and professional details and part B had the following questionnaires to assess problematic mobile phone use, chronotypes, phantom ringing and vibration and, sleep quality. •Problematic use of mobile phone scale (PUMP)•Reduced Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire (r MEQ)•Questionnaire for Phantom ringing and Phantom vibration•The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)•University of Rochester Modified CAGE Questionnaire•Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Nonparametric tests were used as the data were skewed. The data were summarized by frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and median and interquartile range for continuous variables. The chi-square test was used to find the association between two categorical variables. Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare the chronotype with the continuous variables such as CAGE total, PUMP, and PSQ score. Correlation between different continuous variables was studied by using Spearman rank correlations. Kappa statistics were used to evaluate the concordance between PUMP and the University of Rochester Modified CAGE questionnaire.ResultsNeither type (NT) was the most common chronotype (41.5%), followed by morning type (38%) and evening type (20%). Eight (5.6%) doctors had problematic mobile phone use, and 38(26.8%) had poor sleep quality. Evening chronotype (p-value- 0.002), being a female (p-value- 0.014), working in a clinical department (p-value 0.017) and experiencing phantom ringing (p-value- 0.001) had significant association with higher PUMP score. Even though females had a higher median PUMP score, problematic mobile phone use was more among males. University of Rochester Modified CAGE Questionnaire had a sensitivity of 81.73% (73–88.6%), and a specificity of 28.95% (15.4–45.9%).ConclusionDoctors should be aware of their mobile phone usage. This study has reiterated the predilection evening chronotype has for behavioral addictions and doctors of evening type should be extra cautious.

A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Phantom Vibration Syndrome among Nursing Students Attending Online Classes in Selected Nursing College, Trichy

Electronic gadgets are the instruments which can perform many activities at a time with vast speed and makes the hard work efficient one Objectives: to assess the pre-test knowledge and attitude of the phantom vibration syndrome among nursing student, to find the association between knowledge score and attitude level regarding phantom vibration syndrome and to find out the desired attitude regarding Phantom Vibration Syndrome Design: one-group Pre-test design. Setting: Selected College, Trichy. Participants: 50 nursing students attending online classes fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Methods: Non-probability convenience sampling technique was used. Results: The findings of the research project revealed that, 56 % students were having inadequate knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students and 44% nursing students were having moderate knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students and none of them were having adequate knowledge regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students. 26% students strongly agree in attitude regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students, 22 % students agree in attitude regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students, 14 % students uncertain in attitude regarding phantom vibration syndrome among nursing students, 20% students disagree in attitude regarding phantom vibration syndrome and 18% students strongly disagree in attitude regarding phantom vibration syndrome. Conclusion: the investigator was able to assess the overall level of knowledge and attitude regarding Phantom Vibration Syndrome among nursing students attending online classes in selected nursing college, Trichy. Keywords: Assess, knowledge, attitude, Phantom Vibration Syndrome, nursing students, online classes.

Phantom Vibration Syndrome Sebagai Dampak Dari Penggunaan Smartphone Yang Berlebihan Pada Remaja

Smartphone devices have become unbeatable in people's lives because they provide various facilities for finding information, communicating, as a media for learning and entertainment. Besides many benefits of smartphones, excessive use of smartphones has several negative impacts, one of them is phantom vibration syndrome. Phantom vibration syndrome is a common type of hallucination reported by smartphone users in the general population. This syndrome is caused by overuse of smartphones, which feel as if their smartphone is vibrating but is not. The highest population in smartphone use is the age group of 18 to 34 years old. The factors that cause PVS are work, place on the smartphone, age, frequency of using per day and frequency using in vibrate mode. Symptoms that can occur are anxiety and fear. Phantom vibration syndrome has a high prevalence, so early treatment is needed to prevent complications

Assessment on prevalence and its factors on phantom vibration syndrome among UG and PG students in selected colleges

Background: The phantom vibration syndrome occurs when a person thinks neither his or her phone is ringing or vibrating from a text message when it actually is not. As a society increasingly dependent on mobile devices, the phantom vibrate easily becomes a phenomenon of worry for mobile users. Aim: To estimate the prevalence and its factors on phantom vibration syndrome. Materials and Methods: A non-experimental study with comparative survey research design was developed. The study was conducted in Government First Grade PU College at Kolar. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to select the samples of 200 (100 UG, 100 PG) who fulfills the selection criteria. A checklist on phantom vibration syndrome with 15 items and questionnaire on assessing the factors influencing on phantom vibration syndrome with 11 items were used to collect the data from the samples through self-administered method. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used for analyzing the data. Results: Majority of the students in UG 75% were less than 20 years and 95% were between 21-25 years with PG students. Regarding Gender 95%was male in UG and 44% were female in PG with 56% male. The findings of the data on prevalence showed that 71% of the UG students experienced phantom vibration syndrome and 29% of the UG students experienced some characteristics associated with phantom vibration syndrome, whereas among the PG students 50% reported as experienced with phantom vibration syndrome and remaining 50% does not experience any symptoms associated with phantom vibration syndrome. Related to the factors influencing phantom vibration syndrome, 78% of the UG students reported that they keep their mobile phone in jean front pocket, 44% of the PG students said they place it in handbags /others. 57% of the UG students used to check their phone for more than 20 times in a day where as 53% of the PG students used to check for 10-20 times in a day. Both UG and PG students said that they fee

Distribution of Phantom Vibration Syndrome and Its Association on Psychological Morbidity among Medical Students, South India

Introduction: With the advancement of cellular technology at its peak, the rise in obsession for mobile phone usage has ended up in psychological dependency towards it resulting in emergence of 'Phantom Vibration Syndrome', described by Mr. Robert D Jones in 2003 as a 'tactile hallucination of mobile phone vibration'. This study was conducted to estimate the distribution of phantom vibration syndrome among medical students using smart phone and its impact on level of stress, anxiety and depression. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 200 final year private medical college students in Kancheepuram district. A semi - structured questionnaire, including Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating score and Hamilton depression rating scale was used. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Almost 74% of study population experienced phantom vibration syndrome (PVS). It was estimated that about 74% experienced moderate stress, 77.41% from mild anxiety and 45.16% from mild depression. Conclusion: Excessive problematic usage of mobile phone has resulted in various disorders like phantom vibration syndrome, Phubbing, Ringxiety and Nomophobia that deals with psychological or socio-behavioral changes. By limiting mobile phone use in a productive way, these health-related problems can be avoided.

Contemporary Review of Smartphone Apps for Tinnitus Management and Treatment.

Tinnitus is a complex and heterogeneous psycho-physiological disorder responsible for causing a phantom ringing or buzzing sound albeit the absence of an external sound source. It has a direct influence on affecting the quality of life of its sufferers. Despite being around for a while, there has not been a cure for tinnitus, and the usual course of action for its treatment involves use of tinnitus retaining and sound therapy, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). One positive aspect about these therapies is that they can be administered face-to-face as well as delivered via internet or smartphone. Smartphones are especially helpful as they are highly personalized devices, and offer a well-established ecosystem of apps, accessible via respective marketplaces of differing mobile platforms. Note that current therapeutic treatments such as CBT have shown to be effective in suppressing the tinnitus symptoms when administered face-to-face, their effectiveness when being delivered using smartphones is not known so far. A quick search on the prominent market places of popular mobile platforms (Android and iOS) yielded roughly 250 smartphone apps offering tinnitus-related therapies and tinnitus management. As this number is expected to steadily increase due to high interest in smartphone app development, a contemporary review of such apps is crucial. In this paper, we aim to review scientific studies validating the smartphone apps, particularly to test their effectiveness in tinnitus management and treatment. We use the PRISMA guidelines for identification of studies on major scientific literature sources and delineate the outcomes of identified studies.

Investigation of the Role of Anxiety and Depression on the Formation of Phantom Vibration and Ringing Syndrome Caused by Working Stress during Medical Internship.

Phantom vibration syndrome (PVS) and phantom ringing syndrome (PRS) are prevalent hallucinations during medical internship. Depression and anxiety are probably understudied risk factors of PVS and PRS. The aim was to evaluate the role of anxiety and depression on the relationship between working stress during medical internship and PVS and PRS. A prospective longitudinal study, consisted of 74 medical interns, was carried out. The severity of phantom vibrations and ringing, as well as anxiety and depression as measured before, at the third, sixth, and 12th month during internship, and two weeks after internship. We conducted a causal mediation analysis to quantify the role of depression and in the mechanism of working stress during medical internship inducing PVS and PRS. The results showed that depression explained 21.9% and 8.4% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. In addition, anxiety explained 15.0% and 7.8% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. Our findings showed both depression and anxiety can explain a portion of stress-induced PVS and PRS during medical internship and might be more important in clinical practice and benefit to prevention of work-related burnout.