How Common is Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
According to studies, more than 50 million people in the United States have reported experiencing tinnitus, resulting in an estimated prevalence of 10% to 15% in adults. Experts believe that about one in five individuals who experience tinnitus are bothered enough by the condition to seek clinical intervention. Although considered a prevalent condition, tinnitus remains a challenging condition for hearing care professionals to treat and manage.
Tinnitus Clinical Practice Guidelines
In October 2014, after an exhaustive review of the literature, the medical journal, Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, published clinical practice guidelines to help clinicians better triage and manage bothersome tinnitus.
Among the recommendations supported by clinical evidence for those with persistent, bothersome tinnitus and documented hearing loss, published in the report, was the provision of a hearing aid evaluation and consideration of sound therapy devices such as hearing aids and table top maskers. Additionally, the expert panel recommended cognitive behavioral therapy to patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus.
Four years following the report, although professionals organizations such as the International Hearing Society and the Tinnitus Practitioners Associations have incorporated some of the 2014 clinical guidelines into their tinnitus management approaches, the “strong recommendation” of cognitive behavioral therapy the 2014 clinical practice guidelines – perhaps because very few hearing care professionals have any formal training in it – could be under-utilized as a form of treatment for bothersome tinnitus.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Tinnitus Relief
The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to reduce anxiety by helping patients identify and modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors associated with tinnitus. A CBT approach teaches individuals coping with bothersome tinnitus skills to identify negative thoughts that result in distress, and to restructure those thoughts, so they are more accurate and helpful to the individual.
In a retrospective study published on-line in September in the American Journal of Audiology, British researchers gathered pre and post CBT data from 68 individuals. Results shows significant improvements in tinnitus annoyance, loudness and impact on quality of life following six weeks of face-to-face CBT sessions with an audiologist for one hour each week. Although the audiologists in the study cited above received substantial CBT training and support, it does require considerable time and expense to complete more than 100 hours of specialized training in CBT.
If you or someone you know is experiencing tinnitus, contact us today for more information on Cognitive Behavior Therapy for tinnitus relief.
Source: JAMA, AJA