Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Scores Before and After Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Therapy in Tinnitus Patients

Background: Tinnitus is the perception of hearing sounds without any external sound stimulus.Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a tinnitus therapy option developed in the last 4-5 years.tDCS research in Indonesia has never been carried out.Evaluation of tDCS therapy uses the Indonesian version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire, which has been widely used.Methods: A prospective cohort with data collection was conducted before and after tDCS therapy in tinnitus patients.Sampling was taken using a consecutive sampling technique until the sample size was met.tDCS therapy was given for five consecutive days, each for ten minutes.The Indonesian version of the THI questionnaire was assessed before, after, and one month after tDCS therapy.Results: The total sample obtained was 29 patients.The distribution of THI scores at pre-tDCS had a range of 14-88 (19.766SD); post-tDCS 8-66 (14,532SD); and 1-month post-tDCS 4-66 (14,903SD).The relationship between THI scores pre-, post, and one-month post-tDCS was tested using the Friedman test with Asymp.Sig 0.000 indicates a significant difference between the three THI scores, which means that administering tDCS therapy can reduce the THI score.The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed a significant difference (p=0.000) between pre and post-tDCS THI scores, which means there was an improvement in THI scores after tDCS therapy.It showed no significant difference (p=0.931) between the THI score post and 1-month post-tDCS, which means there was no worsening of the THI score within one month after tDCS therapy.Conclusion: There is a significant difference in THI scores before and after tDCS therapy.