Abstract
Tinnitus affects more than 10% of the population and can be a severe condition in
∼0.5% of people. Although it is related to diseases of the auditory system in the
majority of cases, involvement of nonauditory structures in the brain is an important
pathophysiological mechanism in patients with severe tinnitus, who often also present
with sleep difficulties, mood disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction. Comprehensive
evaluation of a patient with tinnitus often requires application of evaluation tools
beyond audiological tests. When managing patients with chronic tinnitus and no obvious
treatable underlying conditions, employment of a combination of sound treatments,
habituation therapies, psychological intervention, and pharmacological agents is often
needed to minimize the impact of tinnitus on patients and to improve their functionality
and quality of life. Future research on tinnitus, with appropriate designs and improved
measurement tools, may help us better understand tinnitus and facilitate development
of novel and effective treatments.
Keywords
Tinnitus - epidemiology - pathophysiology - neurophysiology - evaluation - research
