Tinnitus can be described as the experience of sound in the ear or in the head. Subjective tinnitus is not heard by anyone else. At present no particular treatment for tinnitus has been found effective in all patients.
Cognitive behavioural therapy was originally developed as a treatment for depression and then also used for anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. It is a form of psychological treatment that uses relaxation, remodelling thoughts and challenging situations to improve the patient's attitude towards tinnitus.
The objective of this review was to assess whether cognitive behavioural therapy is effective in the management of patients suffering from tinnitus.
Eight trials (468 participants) are included in this review. Data analysis did not demonstrate any significant effect in the subjective loudness of tinnitus. We found, however, a significant improvement in the depression associated with tinnitus and quality of life (decrease of global tinnitus severity), suggesting that cognitive behavioural therapy has a positive effect on the way in which people cope with tinnitus.
Further research should use a limited number of validated questionnaires in a more consistent way and with a longer follow up to assess the long-term effect of cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with tinnitus.