Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Tinnitus

Abstract

Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound without any external acoustic stimulation. Any pathology of auditory pathways or any system of the human body may result with tinnitus. The pathophysiology of tinnitus accompanying the disorders of auditory system is not fully understood. In researches, a lot of therapy modalities have been used many years but there is no definitive treatments for tinnitus. Pharmacological treatments of various pharmacological interventions have been investigated for the treatment of tinnitus. However, no drug has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of tinnitus. The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is very popular in most countries, and several CAM products are often used by individuals with tinnitus with or without medical guidance. Nonconventional approaches for tinnitus have increased in prevalence and acceptance among both patients and practitioners. Many of these approaches have been shown to benefit some tinnitus sufferers. Complementary treatments may be particularly well suited for treating the dysfunction associated with tinnitus, as they specifically target aspects of tinnitus that are often overlooked in conventional medicine. CAM has frequently been used to treat tinnitus. The objective of this review was to assess complementary therapies as a treatment for the tinnitus.

Evaluation and Management of Tinnitus: Are There Opportunities for Improvement?

“…The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines provide useful advice on the best ways to evaluate and manage tinnitus 1 Table 3 provides a summary of strategies for managing tinnitus 1,21,28,29,46–49 . Cognitive‐behavioral therapy is known to be an effective strategy for helping people cope with tinnitus 1,17,50–54 .…”