[Chronic complex tinnitus: therapeutic results of inpatient treatment in a tinnitus clinic].

BACKGROUND

In-patient treatment of patients with chronic tinnitus is necessary only when these patients have a severe psychosomatic co-morbidity and suffer severely. However this therapeutic approach has to be supervised and evaluated properly.

METHODS

We present data and results of 1841 patients suffering from chronic tinnitus. Due to the severity of the symptom and psycho-neurotic side effects in-patient treatment was necessary. Therapy lasted 5 - 6 weeks, the main aspect was an intensive psychotherapeutic evaluation and stabilisation next to retraining and habituation programmes. Relaxation techniques were taught. Patients suffered from their tinnitus more than six month; 95 % further suffered from hearing-loss, mainly in high frequencies. The study evaluates results of patients from October 1994 until June 2000. Basis of the study was the evaluation of a specific tinnitus-questionnaire (TQ), published by Hallam in the UK and translated by Goebel and Hiller in Germany. Data was recorded at registration in our clinic, 4 - 6 months later during admission and at the end of the therapy. Final data was gained during a special meeting or questioning 6 months after dismissal from the clinic.

RESULTS

Patients that suffered most showed the greatest improvement; directly after therapy there was a highly significant improvement in the TQ for an average of 13.01 points. Highly significant improvements were found in all the TQ-subscales respectively. Only 10 % of the patients did not show any improvement at all.

CONCLUSION

Therapy of most severe cases of chronic tinnitus is possible, using an integrated concept of otologic and psychosomatic treatments. With large numbers of patients and sufficient data a thorough and necessary evaluation of this therapy can be achieved.