Feb. 2-9 Is Tinnitus Awareness Week: How to Advance Patient-Centered Tinnitus Care

AURORA, ILL — Tinnitus affects millions of patients worldwide. Simultaneously, it remains one of the most challenging auditory conditions to manage. On the occasion of the annual Tinnitus Awareness Week, AudioNova emphasizes patient-centered, holistic care: tinnitus is not regarded as an independent disease, but as a symptom with variable individual manifestations. The current evidence supports a multimodal treatment pathway that includes education, individualized assessment, hearing aids, and advanced management approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Numerous studies show that tinnitus is widespread and often co-occurs with hearing loss. It is estimated that about 10-15% of the population experiences tinnitus, with the majority not finding it bothersome.¹ Around 20% of those affected require medical support, and about 2% experience such strong impacts that daily life is significantly impacted. Latest evidence also indicates that four in five people with tinnitus may have concurrent hearing loss.²

From assessment to therapy: Reducing tinnitus distress

There is currently no cure for tinnitus. But there are many ways to support people with bothersome tinnitus.The aim is to reduce distress and burden. A standardized tinnitus assessment to characterize the individual burden, based on validated questionnaires, provides the foundation for individualized counseling and further management strategies. ²

The current best-validated treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to alter tinnitus-related maladaptive behavior and negative associations to lessen the impact of tinnitus.³  Getting access to psychological care like CBT is still a challenge⁴   for tinnitus patients, but more and more validated digital tools are available that provide internet-based CBT.

Hearing aids and multimodal care: Better outcomes for tinnitus patients

There is growing evidence that amplification through hearing aids can further help tinnitus patients with hearing loss: they improve speech understanding, enhance hearing-related quality of life, and can reduce tinnitus perception.⁵   Most modern hearing aids have integrated tinnitus masking features that can provide additional support for tinnitus patients.

Dr. Maren Stropahl, Senior Director of Holistic Hearing Care at Sonova, emphasizes: “There is growing evidence that the combination of treatments is more effective than single treatments which suggests that multimodal, patient-centered approaches can provide the best relief.”²

Physicians and ENT specialists interested in clinical resources, collaborative programs, or educational opportunities can find further information in the physician resources section at Audionova.com.