Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Jul;64(7):491-495.

Approach to tinnitus management

Vincent Wu  1 , Bonnie Cooke  2 , Susan Eitutis  2 , Matthew T W Simpson  3 , Jason A Beyea  4
Affiliations
Review

Approach to tinnitus management

Vincent Wu et al. Can Fam Physician. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To provide family physicians with an evidence-based and practical approach to managing patients with tinnitus.

Sources of information: MEDLINE was searched for English-language tinnitus guidelines and reviews. All such articles published between 1980 and 2016 were reviewed, with most providing level II and III evidence.

Main message: Tinnitus affects more than 40% of Canadians at least once in their lifetimes, most commonly older adults. Tinnitus is the perception of sound without external stimulation. It can greatly affect a patient's physical and psychological quality of life. Clinical history taking is directed at eliciting whether symptoms have a pulsatile or nonpulsatile quality, whether symptoms are unilateral or bilateral, and whether there is associated hearing loss. For tinnitus that is pulsatile or unilateral, referral to an otolaryngologist is recommended, as these qualities might be associated with more serious underlying conditions. Most patients with tinnitus can be managed with reassurance, conservative measures, and hearing aids if substantial hearing loss exists.

Conclusion: Family physicians play the primary role in managing patients with tinnitus and are well situated to address both the physiologic and the psychological manifestations. As tinnitus is very common, helping patients cope with the symptoms through conservative measures and reassurance can prove to have the best outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Approach to the differential diagnosis of tinnitus symptoms *Most common causes of tinnitus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Schleuning AJ., 2nd Management of the patient with tinnitus. Med Clin North Am. 1991;75(6):1225–37. - PubMed
    1. Statistics Canada [website]. Hearing loss of Canadians, 2012 and 2013. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada; 2015. Available from: www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2015001/article/14156-eng.htm. Accessed 2016 Aug 27.
    1. Shargorodsky J, Curhan GC, Farwell WR. Prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus among US adults. Am J Med. 2010;123(8):711–8. - PubMed
    1. Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ontario [website]. Tinnitus. Toronto, ON: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board; 2004. Available from: www.wsib.on.ca/WSIBPortal/faces/WSIBManualPage?cGUID=16-01-08&fGUID=8355.... Accessed 2016 Aug 31.
    1. Building Trades BC. Permanent disability awards for tinnitus. BC Building Trades position. Burnaby, BC: British Columbia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council; 2011. Available from: www.bcbuildingtrades.org/files/WCB_Sub-Tinnitus.pdf. Accessed 2016 Aug 31.