TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical protocol to promote standardization of basic tinnitus services by audiologists
AU - Henry, James A.
AU - Manning, Candice
N1 - Funding Information:
Two studies mentioned in this report were funded (recipient J. Henry) by Starkey Hearing Technologies and Phonak LLC. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Grants C1205R and C9247S, awarded to J. Henry. The work was further supported with resources and the use of facilities at the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research Rehabilitation Research and Development Grant C9230C, awarded to M. P. Feeney at the VA Portland Health Care System in Portland, Oregon. The authors acknowledge research colleagues whose efforts have indirectly contributed to this clinical focus article, including Leslie Grush, Christine Kaelin, Paula Myers, Caroline Schmidt, Emily Thielman, and Tara Zaugg. These contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Government or Department of Veterans Affairs. We express our sincere appreciation to our veteran patients who have served our country and who provided innumerable insights for managing tinnitus.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - Purpose: Clinical services for tinnitus are needed by millions of people annually. These services have not been standardized, and patients are vulnerable to receiving services that may appear legitimate but are not based on research evidence. The purpose of this clinical focus article is to promote standardization of tinnitus services by proposing an efficient clinical protocol for audiologists. Method: The suggested clinical protocol is based primarily on research conducted at the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research for the past 2 decades, with the focus on 2 randomized controlled trials completed recently that showed efficacy of an audiologic protocol involving hearing aids and brief tinnitus counseling. The protocol is mostly consistent with clinical practice guidelines that have been published. Results: The two National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research randomized controlled trials revealed significant reduction of tinnitus functional effects for both hearing aids and “combination instruments” (hearing aids with a built-in sound generator), although there were no significant differences between devices. Existing clinical practice guidelines for tinnitus are summarized with respect to their common recommendations for assessment and intervention. Conclusions: A defined clinical protocol is suggested for audiologists, which includes a case history, appropriate referral, audiologic assessment, use of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (Henry, Griest, et al., 2015), brief tinnitus counseling, hearing aids or combination instruments as warranted, follow-up assessment, and criteria for determining if further tinnitus-specific services are needed. Use of this protocol can help to promote standardization of tinnitus practice by audiologists.
AB - Purpose: Clinical services for tinnitus are needed by millions of people annually. These services have not been standardized, and patients are vulnerable to receiving services that may appear legitimate but are not based on research evidence. The purpose of this clinical focus article is to promote standardization of tinnitus services by proposing an efficient clinical protocol for audiologists. Method: The suggested clinical protocol is based primarily on research conducted at the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research for the past 2 decades, with the focus on 2 randomized controlled trials completed recently that showed efficacy of an audiologic protocol involving hearing aids and brief tinnitus counseling. The protocol is mostly consistent with clinical practice guidelines that have been published. Results: The two National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research randomized controlled trials revealed significant reduction of tinnitus functional effects for both hearing aids and “combination instruments” (hearing aids with a built-in sound generator), although there were no significant differences between devices. Existing clinical practice guidelines for tinnitus are summarized with respect to their common recommendations for assessment and intervention. Conclusions: A defined clinical protocol is suggested for audiologists, which includes a case history, appropriate referral, audiologic assessment, use of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (Henry, Griest, et al., 2015), brief tinnitus counseling, hearing aids or combination instruments as warranted, follow-up assessment, and criteria for determining if further tinnitus-specific services are needed. Use of this protocol can help to promote standardization of tinnitus practice by audiologists.
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U2 - 10.1044/2018_AJA-TTR17-18-0038
DO - 10.1044/2018_AJA-TTR17-18-0038
M3 - Article
C2 - 31022366
AN - SCOPUS:85065441896
VL - 28
SP - 152
EP - 161
JO - American Journal of Audiology
JF - American Journal of Audiology
SN - 1059-0889
IS - 1S
ER -