Tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external source, can be constant or intermittent and is most often secondary to auditory system damage. Patients with tinnitus can describe ringing, buzzing, hissing, sizzling, roaring, chirping, or other sounds. One in five people with chronic tinnitus finds it bothersome enough to seek care. The US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Defense (VA/DoD) published guidelines on the management of tinnitus in patients with bothersome tinnitus with or without hearing difficulty.

EDUCATION

Educational counseling improves tinnitus severity compared with traditional support or no treatment; only one study did not use any educational counseling in the control group. Education should include information about available management strategies, natural history and prognosis, the association between hearing loss and tinnitus, the effects of lifestyle on tinnitus, importance of hearing protection, and realistic expectations regarding improving quality of life with tinnitus.