Oto Tinnitus Program
How the Oto Program Works at Home
The Oto tinnitus program in Apple Valley, CA is an at-home tinnitus management program on your smartphone. It pairs a library of therapeutic sounds with short guided sessions drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques, plus tinnitus education, mindfulness, and relaxation. The program runs in six modules over about three months, in sessions of five to ten minutes a day. We set it up with you in our office and follow your progress between visits.
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D.
Owner & Doctor of Audiology
Oto Alongside Lenire, Hearing Aids, and Your Care
Oto works alongside the rest of your tinnitus care, so you never have to choose between options. If you wear hearing aids, Oto adds sound you control from your phone, including at night after you take your hearing aids out. If you're using Lenire, Oto becomes your daily routine between appointments. Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., has helped patients with tinnitus since 1991, and your evaluation will show which combination is right for you.
Oto Program FAQs
Common questions about the Oto at-home tinnitus program in Apple Valley, including what it is, how long it takes, who it's for, and what the research shows.
Oto is an at-home tinnitus management program on your smartphone. It uses sound therapy, with exercises drawing on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques alongside, in short daily sessions. You'll find the app in the App Store and Google Play, but the program only starts once your audiologist enrolls you.
Care begins with a full hearing and tinnitus evaluation. If Oto is a good fit, we set it up on your phone before you leave, and you complete your first session in our office so you know exactly what to do at home. Between visits, our team can see how your program is going, so each follow-up starts from where you actually are. Call or text (760) 503-1700 to book an evaluation.
Plan on about five to ten minutes a day, at home and on your own schedule. The program is organized into six modules over around three months. Each session mixes therapeutic sounds you can play whenever tinnitus is most noticeable with short guided audio covering CBT techniques, tinnitus education, mindfulness, and relaxation.
We can point you to specific sessions, such as the sleep sessions if ringing keeps you awake once the room goes quiet. The Oto website has more on how the program is organized.
No. Oto works with or without hearing aids, and all you need is a smartphone. The program is for adults 18 and over whose tinnitus affects their sleep, concentration, or quality of life. For patients who don't need hearing aids or a device, Oto is used on its own.
It also runs alongside the rest of your care. With hearing aids, it adds sound you control, even when your aids are out at night. With Lenire, it becomes your daily routine between appointments. If your tinnitus came on suddenly, is in only one ear, or pulses in time with your heartbeat, please call us so we can see you promptly.
Oto's daily sessions use therapeutic sound, with exercises drawing on cognitive behavioral techniques alongside. CBT-based approaches to tinnitus management are supported by NICE, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Cochrane reviews, and sound therapy is a common part of tinnitus care.
Oto has been studied in a randomized controlled trial at Flinders University in Australia, published in 2025. Ninety-six adults were randomized either to use Oto or to a wait-list control group. At six months, the group using Oto showed a statistically significant improvement on the Tinnitus Functional Index, a validated measure of how much tinnitus is affecting daily life, with a 9-point reduction and an effect size of 0.62. You can read more about the trial on Oto's research page.
No. There is currently no medical cure for most forms of tinnitus. Oto is a management program that gives you sound, practical techniques, and a daily routine to use at home, with our team supporting you along the way. Results vary from person to person.
Oto is available to Veterans and all adults 18 and over. Dr. Mendoza has over 30 years of experience helping Veterans manage service-related tinnitus, and your evaluation will show whether Oto, hearing aids with tinnitus features, Lenire, or a combination fits you best. Call or text (760) 503-1700 to ask about Oto.
Hearing Aids Tuned to Your Ears, Not a Factory
Hearing aids only help if they're set for your ears, not generic factory settings. That's why every new fitting at Optimum Audiology includes Real Ear Measurement, a quick test with a tiny microphone that confirms the sound reaching your eardrum matches your hearing loss. We check again at every annual visit, see you for follow-ups in the first month, and most purchases include a trial period so you can hear the difference at home.
Patient Reviews
What patients across the High Desert, Visalia, and La Verne say about their care with Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D.
Expert Hearing Care From the High Desert to Visalia
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., has helped patients hear better since 1991, and every plan starts with a thorough hearing evaluation.
Serving Southern & Central California
Four Offices, One Number
Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D., and her team see patients in Apple Valley, Jess Ranch, La Verne, and Visalia. Choose the office closest to you on the map.
- Call or text: (760) 503-1700
- info@optimumaudiology.com
- Doctor of Audiology since 1991
- Real Ear Measurement on every fitting
- VA Community Care & OWCP provider
Optimum Audiology is a great place to go to for my hearing aids. Friendly staff and very helpful. They take care of everything from insurance, to keeping your hearing aids properly working. Thanks for doing a great job for me Optimum Audiology.— Anthony A.
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