Tinnitus.
Chronic idiopathic subjective tinnitus is a common condition affecting around one in ten of the population at any given time. For the majority of people it is an annoyance rather than a major health issue but for approximately 0.5 per cent of the population tinnitus interferes with their ability to pursue a normal life. Modern theories of the pathogenesis of the condition concentrate on the central auditory system although the peripheral auditory system can be a trigger or ignition site for tinnitus. Although a cure remains elusive there are several good treatment strategies based on psychological and neurophysiological models of tinnitus that promote habituation to the symptom.
McFerran
D J
DJ
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Essex County Hospital, Colchester, UK. donald.mcferran@essexrivers.nhs.uk
Phillips
J S
JS
D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*