title: When alarm bells ring: emergency tinnitus.
abstract: The aim of this study is to develop a diagnostic-therapeutic algorithm for those suffering from tinnitus who seek emergency aid.
  
  
  
  A literature review has been performed on articles from the last 30 years.
  
  
  
  It is important to activate medical or surgical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, in order to safeguard and rehabilitate the various functions affected. Psychiatric comorbidity is the most frequent pathological condition of those with serious or catastrophic tinnitus. In these cases, mortality risk is linked to suicide, morbidity to tinnitus-correlated distress.
  
  
  
  Tinnitus, mainly linked to loss of hearing, is a frequent symptom among the population at large. About 7% of those affected by tinnitus turn to their doctor to solve their problem, while between 0.5 and 2% request urgent medical assistance. Their cry for help may be the result of an acute onset of tinnitus or the rapid impairment of an already chronic condition. Tinnitus is not considered an urgent ear, nose and throat (ENT) condition by the Associazione Otorinolaringologi Ospedalieri Italiani (AOOI) [Italian Association of Hospital ENT], even though there are many pathological conditions, sometimes serious, associated with tinnitus and emergency action is necessary to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Umberto I University Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. filippo.mazzei@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altissimi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salviati
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turchetta
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Vincentiis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciofalo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marinelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Testugini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cianfrone
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D013405:Suicide; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis*