Clinical Practice Guideline: Chronic Tinnitus–Diagnosis and Treatment
Deutsches Arzteblatt International
Mazurek, B., Hesse, G., et al. (2022).
Deutsches Arzteblatt International, 119(13), 219-225.
This guideline provides recommendations for the management of chronic tinnitus (i.e., persisting for more than 3 months) in individuals with or without hearing loss.
German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO-KHC)
<div>Treatment of chronic tinnitus should be based on a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation which includes audiological assessment to determine hearing loss and/or psychosomatic comorbidities or other concomitant disorders.</div>
<div>Individuals with chronic tinnitus should receive counseling and education. Patients should also be advised of self-help options such as tinnitus-specific cognitive behavioral treatments to ameliorate tinnitus distress, to address psychosocial outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression), and improve quality of life. </div>
<div>Treatments for tinnitus may be provided in individual or group settings. However, inpatient treatment should be recommended for individuals with severe decompensation due to tinnitus-induced helplessness or severe comorbidities (e.g., depression, anxiety).</div>
<div>Hearing aids are recommended for individuals with tinnitus and accompanying hearing loss. Cochlear implantation should be considered for individuals with tinnitus and severe hearing loss.</div>
<div>Tinnitus retraining therapy can be considered for use as a long-term intervention technique. Due to a lack of evidence of efficacy, music and sound therapies (e.g., notched music training, acoustic reset) are not recommended.</div>
<div>Due to a lack of evidence of efficacy, acoustic neuromodulation techniques (i.e., repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation [rTMS], transcranial direct stimulation [tDCS], vagus or trigeminus stimulation, and low-level laser therapy) are not recommended as a tinnitus treatment due to potential harms and additional costs.</div>
