Tinnitus Retraining Therapy in Unilateral Tinnitus Patients with Single Side Deafness

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the audiologic and clinical characteristics of the tinnitus in single-sided deafness (SSD) patients and to determine whether tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is beneficial to those patients who suffer from tinnitus with SSD. MATERIALS and METHODS:Thirty-six tinnitus patients with unilateral sensorineural profound hearing loss were included in the SSD group, and 46 tinnitus patients with normal hearing were included in the normal hearing group (NH group). Tinnitus evaluation consisted of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and visual analog scales (VAS) were obtained at the initial interview and 6 months after TRT. The therapeutic response was analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS:The subjective intensity of tinnitus and objective loudness were greater in the SSD group. According to the THI scores prior to TRT, the SSD group showed significantly higher values, except in the emotional subscale. The THI score was significantly improved after TRT in both groups. The total THI score and all the subscale scores were significantly reduced. The VAS average scores were reduced from 6.5 to 5.1 in the SSD group, without statistical significance, whereas in the NH group, the VAS average scores significantly decreased from 5.8 to 4.5 after TRT. CONCLUSION:TRT was effective in SSD patients with subjective tinnitus.

Corticostriatal functional connectivity of bothersome tinnitus in single-sided deafness

“…Moreover, acoustic therapies (amplification, masking, customized acoustic stimuli) directed to the better hearing ear are of minimal to no benefit 28–30 . Behavioral therapies (Tinnitus Retraining and Cognitive Behavioral) may be beneficial in modulating tinnitus distress, but without effective sound therapy to the deaf ear, have little to no effect on tinnitus loudness 31,32 . Neuromodulation of the auditory periphery by cochlear implantation of the deaf ear, an alternative method of auditory system stimulation, often reduces tinnitus severity similar to acoustic therapies in an ear with hearing loss 33–36 .…”

Eficacia de la terapia de reentrenamiento en pacientes adultos con tinnitus: revisión sistemática de la literatura

“…Todos los estudios usaron TRT bajo el protocolo de Jastreboff y Hazell (30, 31) con una media de seguimiento de 16,15 ± 7,8, existió variabilidad en las selecciones de los pacientes con 5 estudios que no reportan los criterios de selección de pacientes (16,18,22,23,26). A pesar de esto, los 10 estudios restantes fueron consistentes en evaluar a pacientes mayores de 18 años, independientes de los resultados de la audiometría y con THI moderado a severo (15,17,19,21,24,25,(27)(28)(29)32) (Tabla 5).…”

“…A pesar de que todos los estudios reportaron eficacia (cambios en el THI), los datos sobre los valores de THI o seguimiento con THI solo se encontraron en 10 estudios (15,17,18,21,22,(25)(26)(27)(28)(29). En tres no tenían reportes de niveles basales (15,17,18).…”

Comparison of the effectiveness between transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, manual acupuncture, and electroacupuncture on tinnitus: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…Treatment to relieve tinnitus symptoms include cognitive behavioral therapy [ 2 ], counseling treatment [ 3 ], tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) [ 4 ], hearing aids [ 5 ], cochlear implant therapy [ 6 ], drug therapy [ 7 ], and various types of invasive or non-invasive electrical stimulation, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) [ 8 ]. Because there is no recommended medicine for tinnitus [ 9 ], physiotherapy is considered to have a sufficient effect, despite the lack of evidence for its long-lasting effect on tinnitus [ 10 – 12 ].…”