Tinnitus

Publication Date: October 1, 2014

Key Points

Key Points

  • Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an external source.
  • More than 50 million people in the United States have reported experiencing tinnitus, resulting in an estimated prevalence of 10%-15% in adults.
  • About 20% of adults who experience tinnitus will seek clinical intervention.
  • The estimated prevalence in the United States of experiencing tinnitus at any time is 25.3% and experiencing frequent (almost always or at least once a day) tinnitus is 7.9%.
  • Not a disease in and of itself, tinnitus is actually a symptom that can be associated with multiple causes and aggravating co-factors such as Meniere’s disease, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), otosclerosis, vascular tumor and vestibular schwannoma (VS).
  • Patients with these identifiable and other causative diagnoses of secondary tinnitus are excluded from the management recommendations of this guideline.

Table 1. Abbreviations and Definitions of Common Terms

...viations and Definitions of Common Term...

Table 2. Summary of Guideline Key Action Statements (KAS)

...able 2. Summary of Guideline Key Action State...

...ory and Physical ExaminationClinicians should pe...


...rompt Audiologic ExaminationClinicians should ob...


...tine Audiologic ExaminationClinicians may o...


...g StudiesClinicians should NOT obtain imaging s...


...Bothersome TinnitusClinicians must disting...


...Persistent TinnitusClinicians shou...


...ement StrategiesClinicians should educat...


...Aid EvaluationClinicians should recommend...


...erapyClinicians may recommend sound...


...ehavior TherapyClinicians should recommend cognit...


...edical TherapyClinicians should NOT...


...y SupplementsClinicians should NOT...


12. AcupunctureNo recommendation can be...


.... Transcranial Magnetic StimulationClini...


...The word “routinely” is used to a...


Diagnosis

Diagnosi...

...n occur on one or both sides of the...


...Details of Medical History in the Tinnitus Patie...


Treatment

Treatm...

Patient Education Discussion Points fo...


...essional Organizations and Patient...


...ptions For Sound TherapiesEnvironmental En...