Tinnitus: noninvasive, nonpharmacologic treatments
Tinnitus, the conscious perception of sound in the absence of an external source, is a common medical symptom (not a disease). Nonpharmacologic, noninvasive treatments of tinnitus include sound therapies that mask the tinnitus sounds, neuromodulation techniques that may habituate the patient to the tinnitus sounds, or psychological and behavioral therapies that help the patient cope with or reduce the distress from tinnitus.
Status: Decision completed
Why are treatments for tinnitus being reviewed?
There are a variety of potential nondrug treatments for the condition, but the long and short-term effectiveness of these treatments is not certain. Treatments to be considered include tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), tinnitus feedback therapy (TFT), and other combinations of noise-masking and cognitive therapy. This topic is proposed based on concerns related to the safety, efficacy, and value of the test.
Primary criteria ranking
- Safety = Medium
- Efficacy = High
- Cost = High
Documentation
| Type | Materials |
|---|---|
| Assessment (2020) |
Assessment timeline
- Draft key questions published: October 8, 2019
- Public comment period: October 10 to 23, 2019
- Final key questions published: November 7, 2019
- Draft report published: February 26, 2020
- Public comment period: February 26 to March 26, 2020
- Final report published: April 13, 2020
- HTCC public meeting: May 15, 2020