From the Guidelines
Tinnitus treatment options are limited, and the primary approach is to identify and address any underlying causes, with a focus on managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Treatment Options
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): can be effective in managing tinnitus symptoms and improving quality of life 1
- Sound Therapy: can help reduce the perception of tinnitus sounds 1
- Hearing Aids: can be beneficial for patients with tinnitus and hearing loss 1
- Medications: such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants, may be prescribed to manage related symptoms like anxiety and depression 1
Diagnostic Approach
- Comprehensive Otologic Examination: is essential to determine the cause of tinnitus and identify any underlying conditions 1
- Audiometric Examination: can help identify hearing loss and other related symptoms 1
- Imaging Studies: such as CT and MRI, may be necessary to evaluate for underlying vascular anomalies or other conditions, especially in cases of pulsatile tinnitus or unilateral nonpulsatile tinnitus with additional symptoms 1
Important Considerations
- Classification of Tinnitus: is crucial to determine the appropriate treatment approach, with pulsatile tinnitus requiring further evaluation for underlying vascular anomalies 1
- Associated Symptoms: such as hearing loss, vertigo, and neurological deficits, can impact the treatment approach and require additional evaluation and management 1
From the Research
Treatment Options for Tinnitus
The following treatment options are available for tinnitus:
- Counseling 2
- Psychotherapy 2
- Pharmacological approaches 2
- Masking devices 2
- Individualized sound stimulation 2
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) [(2,3,4)]
- Sound therapy [(3,5,6)]
- Tinnitus retraining therapy [(3,5,6)]
- Melatonin 3
- Antidepressants 3
- Cognitive training 3
- Expert counseling 4
- Measures to improve hearing 4
- Neuromodulation (magnetic stimulation or electrostimulation) 4
- Music therapy [(5,6)]
- Massage and stretching 6
- Electrical suppression 6
Effectiveness of Treatment Options
Some treatment options have shown promise in reducing tinnitus-related distress, including:
- CBT, which has been shown to have a definite improvement effect on tinnitus in a large randomized controlled trial 2
- CBT, which has been shown to improve quality of life in patients with tinnitus 3
- Cognitive behavioral therapy, which has effect sizes of 0.54 to 0.91 for reduction of the tinnitus-related distress 4
Limitations of Current Treatments
There is currently no golden standard treatment for tinnitus 2 There is insufficient evidence regarding the effects of drug treatment, sound and music therapy, and neuromodulation 4 More research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of treatment options 4