title: The effectiveness of neuro-music therapy according to the Heidelberg model compared to a single session of educational counseling as treatment for tinnitus: a controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tinnitus is a very common symptom, yet the quest for an effective treatment is challenging. Results from several clinical trials support the notion that neuro-music therapy is an effective means to reduce tinnitus distress with short duration and long lasting effect. However, until now, the effectiveness has not been tested in a controlled trial against an active comparator.
  
  
  METHODS
  The trial was designed as two-center, parallel intervention group controlled study with two intervention groups: Counseling (50minute individualized personal instruction) or neuro-music therapy (counseling plus eight 50-minute sessions of individualized music therapy). Data of n=290 patients suffering from chronic tinnitus were analyzed. Outcome measure was the change in Tinnitus Questionnaire Total Scores (TQ) from baseline (admission) to end of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both treatment groups achieved a statistically relevant reduction in TQ scores, though 66% of patients in the music therapy group attained a clinically meaningful improvement compared to 33% in the counseling group. A binary logistic regression revealed two variables significantly influencing therapy outcome: initial tinnitus score and type of therapy with an OR for the music therapy compared to the counseling of 4.34 (CI 2.33-8.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Counseling is an appropriate treatment option with well above chance of improvement. The neuro-music therapy outperformed the counseling. This treatment targets the tinnitus sound itself, is short in duration, intrinsically motivating and easy to operate and thus presents a possible complement to the therapeutic spectrum in chronic tinnitus. The trial was registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (ID: NCT01845155).
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Zentrum für Musiktherapieforschung (German Center for Music Therapy Research) (Viktor Dulger Institute), Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: heike.argstatter@dzm-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Argstatter
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Zentrum für Musiktherapieforschung (German Center for Music Therapy Research) (Viktor Dulger Institute), Heidelberg, Germany; Music Therapy Tinnitus Outpatient Department, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grapp
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Zentrum für Musiktherapieforschung (German Center for Music Therapy Research) (Viktor Dulger Institute), Heidelberg, Germany; Music Therapy Tinnitus Outpatient Department, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hutter
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Otolaryngology, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Plinkert
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Zentrum für Musiktherapieforschung (German Center for Music Therapy Research) (Viktor Dulger Institute), Heidelberg, Germany; Praxis für Psychotherapie und Musiktherapie (Psychotherapeutic and Music therapeutic Practice) Hertlingshausen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Volker
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Bolay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009147:Music Therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Counseling; Music therapy; Psycho-education; Tinnitus