CBT for Tinnitus

[Sly Saint]

I found this site tinnitus.org.uk which reviews treatments for tinnitus.
One of the only recommended treatments is CBT for which it says:

CBT has been shown to be one of the most beneficial treatments available to increase quality of life in people with tinnitus.

Tinnitus UK

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Tinnitus UK

There has been a substantial number of papers published on CBT and CBT for tinnitus.

What does the research say?
CBT may be effective in reducing the impact of tinnitus on quality of life people with the condition[1]. Researchers are confident that CBT for tinnitus is beneficial at least in the short term[1],[2].

CBT for tinnitus appears to have some benefit for people who also experience depression[1].

CBT for tinnitus delivered in person and delivered online appear similarly effective[1].

NICE guidelines recommend that CBT therapies are offered to people with tinnitus if it is still having an impact on their emotional and social wellbeing or day-to-day activities despite having received tinnitus support[3].

A European guideline also strongly supports the use of CBT for tinnitus[4].

there is a link to the full information sheet on CBT for tinnitus (pdf)
In it it cites the following research papers:

1. Fuller T, Cima R, Langguth B, Mazurek
B, Vlaeyen JWS, Hoare DJ. Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2020). Issue 1. Art. No.: CD012614. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012614.pub2.

2. Landry EC, Sandoval XCR, Simeone CN, Tidball G, Lea J, Westerberg BD. Systematic Review and Network Metaanalysis of Cognitive and/or Behavioral Therapies (CBT) for Tinnitus. Otology and Neurotology. (2020). Feb;41(2):153-166. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000002472. PMID: 31743297.

3. National Guideline Centre (UK). Tinnitus: assessment and management. (2020). Mar. https://www.nice.org.uk/ guidance/ng155

4. Cima RFF, Mazurek B, Haider H. et al. A multidisciplinary European guideline for tinnitus: diagnostics, assessment, and treatment. HNO 67 (2019). 10–42 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00106-019- 0633-7

"Feedback We welcome feedback on all our information. You can pass your comments to our Communications Team by calling us on 0114 250 9933, emailing communications@tinnitus.org.uk or by writing to us at the address below"

 

[Sly Saint]

This is the Cochrane database systematic review (as ref above)
Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus
Thomas Fuller 1 2 3, Rilana Cima 1 2, Berthold Langguth 4, Birgit Mazurek 5, Johan Ws Vlaeyen 6, Derek J Hoare 7

Authors' conclusions: CBT may be effective in reducing the negative impact that tinnitus can have on quality of life. There is, however, an absence of evidence at 6 or 12 months follow-up. There is also some evidence that adverse effects may be rare in adults with tinnitus receiving CBT, but this could be further investigated. CBT for tinnitus may have small additional benefit in reducing symptoms of depression although uncertainty remains due to concerns about the quality of the evidence. Overall, there is limited evidence for CBT for tinnitus improving anxiety, health-related quality of life or negatively biased interpretations of tinnitus.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for tinnitus - PubMed (nih.gov)

so it does b***** all for the actual tinnitus and pretty much nothing on the other outcomes.

I haven't looked at the others but suspect it might be the usual "slight improvement in QOL" (as seems to be becoming the norm 'mark of success' in CBT research).

 

[JellyBabyKid]

so it does b***** all for the actual tinnitus and pretty much nothing on the other outcomes.

That's what I thought. Does sod all for the ringing, but you get much better in filling in questionnaires the way we want you to

 

[InitialConditions]

tinnitus.org.uk

This is the website of Tinnitus UK (previously known as the British Tinnitus Association, until this year). They are the main UK charity for tinnitus.