Role of Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Intervention: A Scoping Review

Frontiers in Medicine, 2017

Journal of The American Academy of Audiology, 2019

Background: It is well accepted among clinicians that maskers and hearing aids combined with counseling are generally helpful to tinnitus patients, but there are few controlled studies exploring the efficacy of maskers alone to decrease the prominence of tinnitus. Purpose: We investigated the benefit of maskers for patients with chronic, bothersome tinnitus. Research Design: Crossover single-participant design, where each participant served as their own control. Study Sample: 18 adults with subjective, nonpulsatile, sensorineural tinnitus. Intervention: Participants participated in two six-week trials: one with sound therapy and one without. No counseling was provided in either group. Masking devices were fit with sounds intended to reduce the tinnitus prominence. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants rated tinnitus loudness, tinnitus annoyance, and acceptability of the background sounds using a numeric 0-100 interval scale and completed the Tinnitus Primary Functions Questionnaire (TPFQ). Results: Three participants dropped out. On the total score of the TPFQ, 5 of 15 remaining participants (33%) showed a benefit. Using a derived score based on functions showing a handicap before the study, maskers benefit was observed in the areas of sleep (five of nine), hearing (three of eight), thoughts and emotions (three of four), and concentration (four of eight). The TPFQ and annoyance data complemented each other well. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the benefit of partial masking, encouraging patients to seek help from audiologists interested in providing support for tinnitus patients.

Structured Abstract Objectives: A review was undertaken to evaluate the peer-reviewed literature on three areas of tinnitus management for the following Key Questions (KQs): (1) measures used to assess patients for management needs (KQ1); (2) effectiveness of treatments (KQ2); and (3) identification of prognostic factors (KQ3). Data sources: MEDLINE®, Embase®, CINAHL®, PsycINFO®, AMED©, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from January 1970 to June 2012. An extensive grey literature search, which included documents from regulatory and tinnitus-related organizations, was also undertaken. Review methods: Standardized systematic review methodology was employed. Eligibility criteria included English-language studies of adults with subjective idiopathic (nonpulsatile) tinnitus; excluded studies involved tinnitus as the result of middle ear pathologies or focused on methods to determine psychosomatic tinnitus. For KQ2, all pharmacological/food supplement, medical/surgical, sound/technologic...

BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders, 2009

Background: Tinnitus impairs the possibility of leading a normal life in 0.5-1% of the population. While neither medical nor surgical treatment appears effective, counselling may offer some relief. An intervention combining counselling and hearing devices is offered to clients referred to the Centre for Help Aids and Communication (CHC) in southern Denmark. The aims of this exploratory study were to examine i) the characteristics of CHC's clients and their tinnitus, ii) the effectiveness of the treatment, and iii) whether particular client groups benefit more than others. Methods: One hundred new clients presenting with tinnitus completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) three times-before their first consultation, after one month and after 1-2 years. The scores were tested for significant differences over time using tests for paired data. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with a clinically important difference (i.e. THI score improvement of at least 20 points). Results: At final follow-up, total THI score was significantly lower than baseline, i.e. 29.8 (CI 25.5-34.2) vs. 37.2 (CI 33.1-37.2), p < 0.01. The programme achieved a clinically important difference for 27% and 24% of the clients one month and 1-2 years after the first consultation, respectively. It appeared that greater improvement in THI score was related to higher baseline THI score and possibly also to treatment by a particular CHC therapist. The absolute reduction in mean THI score after 1-2 years for clients with moderate and severe handicap was 14 and 20 points, respectively, i.e. similar to that previously reported for TRT (14-28 points). The cost of the current programme was approximately 200 EUR per client. Conclusion: The tinnitus management programme appeared to provide significant benefit to many clients at a relatively low cost. It would be useful to conduct a randomised controlled study comparing the current programme with alternative forms of combination counselling/sound therapy approaches.

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021

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Ear and hearing, 2016

In this four-site clinical trial, we evaluated whether tinnitus masking (TM) and tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) decreased tinnitus severity more than the two control groups: an attention-control group that received tinnitus educational counseling (and hearing aids if needed; TED), and a 6-month-wait-list control (WLC) group. The authors hypothesized that, over the first 6 months of treatment, TM and TRT would decrease tinnitus severity in Veterans relative to TED and WLC, and that TED would decrease tinnitus severity relative to WLC. The authors also hypothesized that, over 18 months of treatment, TM and TRT would decrease tinnitus severity relative to TED. Treatment effectiveness was hypothesized not to be different across the four sites. Across four Veterans affairs medical center sites, N = 148 qualifying Veterans who experienced sufficiently bothersome tinnitus were randomized into one of the four groups. The 115 Veterans assigned to TM (n = 42), TRT (n = 34), and TED (n = 39...

Research, Society and Development, 2022

Introduction: Tinnitus is a symptom reported by the individual as a sound sensation, perceived in the ears or head, continuously or intermittently without external source of stimulation. This alteration has variable causes and may be associated with patients with hearing loss or normal hearing. Among main methods cited as treatment possibilities, hearing aids has been presented as a widely used resource. Objective: To carry out an integrative literature review on the effectiveness of hearing aids in rehabilitation of patients with tinnitus. Method: A search for articles was carried out in electronic databases: PubMed, Scielo, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of Science, with publication date from 2000 to 2020. Results: The sample consisted of 16 works where all concluded that somehow, in most cases, hearing aids associated or not with other resources used in treatment, contributes to a satisfactory result in improvement or disappearance of the symptom. Seven of sixteen articles related hearing a...

Trials, 2016

There is no evidence-based guidance to facilitate design decisions for confirmatory trials or systematic reviews investigating treatment efficacy for adults with tinnitus. This systematic review therefore seeks to ascertain the current status of trial designs by identifying and evaluating the reporting of outcome domains and instruments in the treatment of adults with tinnitus. Records were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE CINAHL, EBSCO, and CENTRAL clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, ICTRP) and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Eligible records were those published from 1 July 2006 to 12 March 2015. Included studies were those reporting adults aged 18 years or older who reported tinnitus as a primary complaint, and who were enrolled into a randomised controlled trial, a before and after study, a non-randomised controlled trial, a case-controlled study or a cohort study, and written in English. Studies with fewer than 20 participants were excluded...

Frontiers in Psychology

Background: Though clinical guidelines for assessment and treatment of chronic subjective tinnitus do exist, a comprehensive review of those guidelines has not been performed. The objective of this review was to identify current clinical guidelines, and compare their recommendations for the assessment and treatment of subjective tinnitus in adults. Method: We systematically searched a range of sources for clinical guidelines (as defined by the Institute of Medicine, United States) for the assessment and/or treatment of subjective tinnitus in adults. No restrictions on language or year of publication were applied to guidelines. Results: Clinical guidelines from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the United States were included in the review. There was a high level of consistency across the guidelines with regard to recommendations for audiometric assessment, physical examination, use of a validated questionnaire(s) to assess tinnitus related distress, and referral to a psychologist when required. Cognitive behavioral treatment for tinnitus related distress, use of hearing aids in instances of hearing loss and recommendations against the use of medicines were consistent across the included guidelines. Differences between the guidelines centered on the use of imaging in assessment procedures and sound therapy as a form of treatment for tinnitus distress respectively. Fuller et al. Review of Guidelines for Tinnitus Conclusion: Given the level of commonality across tinnitus guidelines from different countries the development of a European guideline for the assessment and treatment of subjective tinnitus in adults seems feasible. This guideline would have the potential to benefit the large number of clinicians in countries where clinical guidelines do not yet exist, and would support standardization of treatment for patients across Europe.