Category: Articles

The study provides an in-depth analysis of tinnitus by categorizing it into otologic, non-otologic, and mixed types. It finds that 70.7% of tinnitus cases are otologic, primarily linked to middle and inner ear issues. Non-otologic causes, including central and somatosensory origins, are less common. Tinnitus is more prevalent in older patients and males but with…

Smoking was associated with the occurrence of all three audiovestibular symptoms at once. The risk for hearing loss only was increased by higher levels of glucose and arterial hypertension, while dizziness only was facilitated by dyslipidemia as well as increased levels of HbA1c. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex interplay between lifestyle…

Treatment for hyperacusis can broadly be categorized into those which target the physical symptoms, and those which aim to reduce the psychological burden of the condition. Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) involves educating the patient about their condition alongside gradual sound enrichment, and its use in hyperacusis is becoming increasingly popular.[26] Prolonged low-level noise exposure has…

MBCT is effective in reducing tinnitus severity in chronic tinnitus patients compared to intensive RT. It also reduces psychological distress and disability. Future studies should explore the generalizability of this approach and how outcome relates to different aspects of the intervention. References: McKenna L, Marks EM, Hallsworth CA, Schaette R. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy as a…

CBT may be effective in reducing the negative impact that tinnitus can have on quality of life. There is, however, an absence of evidence at 6 or 12 months follow-up. There is also some evidence that adverse effects may be rare in adults with tinnitus receiving CBT, but this could be further investigated. References: Fuller…

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a specific clinical method based on the neurophysiological model of tinnitus described by Jastreboff (Jastreboff, P.J. (1990). Neurosci. Res., 8: 221-254). The method is aimed at habituation of reactions evoked by tinnitus, and subsequently habituation of the tinnitus perception. Several other methods have been suggested for habituation of tinnitus, but…

This systematic review and meta-analysis included 22 randomized controlled trials comprising 2,354 patients. The combination of acoustics and cognitive behavioral therapy may be an effective way to treat patients with chronic tinnitus. References: Lu T, Wang Q, Gu Z, Li Z, Yan Z. Non-invasive treatments improve patient outcomes in chronic tinnitus: a systematic review and…

13 eligible RTs with a total of 1345 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results showed that the 1-month response rate, 3-month response rate, 6-month response rate, and overall response rate of TRT with drugs for tinnitus were higher than that of drugs only (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the THI…

Studies have provided evidence that Hearing Aid fitting is a valuable treatment strategy for chronic tinnitus relief with associated hearing loss. References: 1) Simonetti P, Vasconcelos LG, Gândara MR, Lezirovitz K, Medeiros ÍRT, Oiticica J. Hearing aid effectiveness on patients with chronic tinnitus and associated hearing loss. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Nov-Dec;88 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S164-S170.…

Medicines used to treat other diseases, as well as foods and other ingested materials, can result in unwanted tinnitus. These include alcohol, antineoplastic chemotherapeutic agents and heavy metals, antimetabolites, antitumor agents, antibiotics, caffeine, cocaine, marijuana, nonnarcotic analgesics and antipyretics, ototoxic antibiotics and diuretics, oral contraceptives, quinine and chloroquine, and salicylates. References: Kim SH, Kim D,…