Question
Sometimes I see patients who have had tinnitus for only a few months. Would you wait on tinnitus treatment or move ahead? Are they candidates for treatment?
Answer
At Neuromonics, we are often posed this question by clinicians. When you see these patients, you have to find out the full story. If the patient’s life has been interrupted – for example, if the patient had to quit his job or is having major quality-of-life issues – then absolutely he is a candidate to move forward with treatment (after you receive the proper medical clearance). If a patient's life is on hold, you want to help him manage their tinnitus and get his life back.
By the same token, you can have a patient who has had tinnitus for 30 years but has developed great coping strategies and management skills. At this point, they may hear their tinnitus occasionally, or they will say that it is always there but it is no big deal. They are able to move on and do what they need to do. This patient is probably not a good candidate for treatment. He or she is doing okay.
The duration of tinnitus as a determination of treatment should take a backseat to the emotional significance and the impact on the patient's life. The impact of tinnitus on the patient’s life should dictate your clinical decisions.
This Ask the Expert was taken from the Neuromonics course, The Neurophysiological Model of Tinnitus: A Practical Perspective. For more information, please visit www.neuromonics.com or the Neuromonics Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.
