Treatment of severe tinnitus with biofeedback training

Abstract

Tinnitus has long been a problem which has plagued patients with otologic problems. We have been using biofeedback as a method of treatment for patients with severe debilitating type tinnitus. Most of the patients had sensori-neural type hearing impairment while a few had conductive hearing loss and normal hearing. The patients were given 10-12 one hour sessions of biofeedback training. They have been followed from 6 to 12 months after this initial training period. Over half of thondition. A few of the patients were dramatically improved while none are worse. Biofeedback has been shown to be an excellent method of treatment for patients with severe tinnitus.

Stability of Physiological Variables in Chronic Tinnitus Sufferers

“…Studies on the efficacy of biofeedback in tinnitus differ in regard to the outcome in physiological variables (e.g., EMG-levels) versus psychological variables (e.g., self-ratings of tinnitus distress) (Borton et al 1981;Elfner et al 1981;Grossan 1976;Haralambous et al 1987;House et al 1977). This discrepancy between psychological and physiological variables in tinnitus may reflect an actual phenomenon, but this divergence can also result from lower reliability of physiological variables.…”

Translabyrinthine nerve section: effect on tinnitus

“…Mild tinnitus is usually treated by reassurance. Medical and psychological therapies are attempted for more severe tinnitus (Meyerhoff and Cooper, 1980;Shea et al, 1981;House, 1981;House, 1978). Hearing aids or tinnitus maskers are beneficial in some cases (Vernon and Schleuning, 1978).…”

Bhramari Pranayama and Alternative Treatments of Tinnitus: In Pursuit of the Cure

“…Treatment of tinnitus by EMG biofeedback is most effective (Podoshin et al, 1995). Studies have shown some promise in the relief of tinnitus from these techniques (House, 1978;White et al, 1986;Newman et al, 1997).…”