N. Zirke

Elderly patients benefit from cochlear implantation regarding auditory rehabilitation, quality of life, tinnitus, and stress.

To determine the effect of cochlear implantation on quality of life, speech performance, tinnitus, perceived stress, and coping strategy in patients aged ≥70 years in comparison with younger patients.

Cochlear implantation has a positive influence on quality of life, tinnitus, and psychological comorbidity.

To determine the effect of cochlear implantation (CI) on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), tinnitus, and psychological comorbidity in patients with severe to profound postlingual hearing loss and to analyze the relationship between these parameters.

Psychological comorbidity in patients with chronic tinnitus: analysis and comparison with chronic pain, asthma or atopic dermatitis patients

PurposeTo determine the prevalence and severity of psychological comorbidity in patients with chronic tinnitus in comparison with other chronic illnesses, namely chronic pain, chronic asthma and atopic dermatitis.MethodsPsychological diagnoses were done according to ICD-10 Chapter V(F). Subjective impairment was evaluated using 5 psychometric questionnaires: tinnitus questionnaire, Berlin mood questionnaire, sense of coherence (SOC-L9) and perceived stress questionnaire. Sleep disturbance was measured by the subdomain ‘exhaustion’ of the Giessen physical complaints inventory.ResultsSomatoform or affective disorders were most frequent in all disease groups. Patients with chronic tinnitus had a stronger SOC and better subjective mood, stronger commitment, and less anger and anxious depression than the patients with chronic pain, chronic asthma or atopic dermatitis. However, in patients with higher tinnitus annoyance, psychological comorbidity was similar to that found in patients with other chronic diseases.ConclusionsBesides collecting medical and social history, special psychometric instruments should be used for the diagnosis of tinnitus patients. Based on relative high frequency of psychological comorbidity, we recommend interdisciplinary cooperation between otorhinolaryngologists and other specialists (psychosomatic medicine, psychology or psychiatry) during the treatment of tinnitus patients, especially when high degree of tinnitus annoyance is involved.

The Impact of Cochlear Implantation on Tinnitus, Stress and Quality of Life in Postlingually Deafened Patients

Tinnitus is a common complaint in the candidates for cochlear implantation (CI). Tinnitus-related distress has often been measured in these patients using categorical ratings, which lack information about tinnitus severity, stress and health-related quality of life or their correlation. Here, using 4 validated questionnaires, we evaluated psychometric parameters and the quality of life of 32 postlingually deafened patients before and after CI. The data regarding pre-CI were collected retrospectively. Of all patients included in this study, 28 (87.5%) suffered from tinnitus before implantation. Following a mean of 24 months after surgery, these patients reported a significant decrease (39.2%) of tinnitus impairment, as measured by the Tinnitus Questionnaire. In none of the 28 patients has tinnitus worsened. Moreover, the 4 tinnitus-free patients remained so after the CI surgery. In addition, the implant supply resulted in 36.7% reduction in perceived stress and in 15.4% reduction in evasive coping. In addition, the focus on positive coping has improved by 12.3%, whereas the health-related quality of life improved by 53.4% in all patients. Tinnitus impairment and stress were reduced more strongly in patients who had initially higher scores. Interestingly, a significant correlation between the psychometric scores was found mainly after CI. Our results indicate that patients with higher tinnitus-related distress have a lower quality of life, lesser coping abilities and perceive more stress, but before implantation it is masked by deafness. We conclude that tinnitus-related screening of patients before and after CI is an important step in the identification of individuals who would benefit from specific fitting and/or tinnitus therapy after implantation.

Tinnitus und psychische Komorbiditäten

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more disorders in addition to the main disorder. Comorbidities negatively influence the development of the main disease. For patients with tinnitus a comorbidity is an additional component complicating the habituation of ear noise and patients with decompensated tinnitus often have psychological comorbidities, e.g. affective, somatoform or anxiety disorders. At the time of first presentation and also during further follow-up, it is essential to pay particular attention to the presence of potential comorbid mental disorders. This is of special importance for patients with decompensated ear noise (severity grades 3 and 4). For ENT specialists it is important that the mental discomfort of patients must be taken seriously and should be identified through a targeted diagnosis. Effective treatment of the co-symptoms using cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in conjunction with medication often reduces the severity of tinnitus perception and discomfort.

Tinnitus and psychological comorbidities

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more disorders in addition to the main disorder. Comorbidities negatively influence the development of the main disease. For patients with tinnitus a comorbidity is an additional component complicating the habituation of ear noise and patients with decompensated tinnitus often have psychological comorbidities, e.g. affective, somatoform or anxiety disorders. At the time of first presentation and also during further follow-up, it is essential to pay particular attention to the presence of potential comorbid mental disorders. This is of special importance for patients with decompensated ear noise (severity grades 3 and 4). For ENT specialists it is important that the mental discomfort of patients must be taken seriously and should be identified through a targeted diagnosis. Effective treatment of the co-symptoms using cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in conjunction with medication often reduces the severity of tinnitus perception and discomfort.

Psychometric instruments for the diagnosis of tinnitus

Tinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.ZusammenfassungTinnitus gilt als komplexes Phänomen mit multiplen Entstehungsmechanismen. Die Therapie des chronischen Tinnitus verfolgt einen multimodalen, interdisziplinären Ansatz. Zur Beurteilung bestehender Komorbiditäten bei Tinnituspatienten sowie zur optimalen und vor allem individuellen Behandlung ist eine umfassende differenzierte psychometrische Diagnostik erforderlich. Da bisher keine einheitliche Leitlinie zur Verwendung psychometrischer Testverfahren in der Tinnitusdiagnostik existiert, werden in diesem Artikel relevante Fragebögen vorgestellt, die im Rahmen der Tinnitusforschung, -diagnostik und -therapie bereits effektiv eingesetzt wurden. Diese Fragebögen erfassen den Schweregrad von Tinnitus, Angst und Depression, die Stressbelastung und Ressourcen sowie die Lebensqualität der Patienten.AbstractTinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.

Psychometrische Testverfahren in der Tinnitusdiagnostik

Tinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.ZusammenfassungTinnitus gilt als komplexes Phänomen mit multiplen Entstehungsmechanismen. Die Therapie des chronischen Tinnitus verfolgt einen multimodalen, interdisziplinären Ansatz. Zur Beurteilung bestehender Komorbiditäten bei Tinnituspatienten sowie zur optimalen und vor allem individuellen Behandlung ist eine umfassende differenzierte psychometrische Diagnostik erforderlich. Da bisher keine einheitliche Leitlinie zur Verwendung psychometrischer Testverfahren in der Tinnitusdiagnostik existiert, werden in diesem Artikel relevante Fragebögen vorgestellt, die im Rahmen der Tinnitusforschung, -diagnostik und -therapie bereits effektiv eingesetzt wurden. Diese Fragebögen erfassen den Schweregrad von Tinnitus, Angst und Depression, die Stressbelastung und Ressourcen sowie die Lebensqualität der Patienten.AbstractTinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.

Psychometrische Testverfahren in der Tinnitusdiagnostik@@@Psychometric instruments for the diagnosis of tinnitus

Tinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.ZusammenfassungTinnitus gilt als komplexes Phänomen mit multiplen Entstehungsmechanismen. Die Therapie des chronischen Tinnitus verfolgt einen multimodalen, interdisziplinären Ansatz. Zur Beurteilung bestehender Komorbiditäten bei Tinnituspatienten sowie zur optimalen und vor allem individuellen Behandlung ist eine umfassende differenzierte psychometrische Diagnostik erforderlich. Da bisher keine einheitliche Leitlinie zur Verwendung psychometrischer Testverfahren in der Tinnitusdiagnostik existiert, werden in diesem Artikel relevante Fragebögen vorgestellt, die im Rahmen der Tinnitusforschung, -diagnostik und -therapie bereits effektiv eingesetzt wurden. Diese Fragebögen erfassen den Schweregrad von Tinnitus, Angst und Depression, die Stressbelastung und Ressourcen sowie die Lebensqualität der Patienten.AbstractTinnitus is a very complex phenomenon with various mechanisms of origin. Multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment is the most effective form of treatment for patients with chronic tinnitus. In order to assess existing comorbidity in tinnitus patients as well as to treat the patients individually, a comprehensive and differentiated diagnosis is needed. Since standardized guidelines for the use of relevant instruments in the diagnosis of tinnitus have been lacking hitherto, we present here psychometric questionnaires which have already been used effectively in the research, diagnosis and therapy of tinnitus in the present article. The questionnaires measure the severity of tinnitus, depression and anxiety, the perceived stress, personal resources as well as the quality of life of patients.

Tinnitus und psychische Komorbiditäten@@@Tinnitus and psychological comorbidities

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more disorders in addition to the main disorder. Comorbidities negatively influence the development of the main disease. For patients with tinnitus a comorbidity is an additional component complicating the habituation of ear noise and patients with decompensated tinnitus often have psychological comorbidities, e.g. affective, somatoform or anxiety disorders. At the time of first presentation and also during further follow-up, it is essential to pay particular attention to the presence of potential comorbid mental disorders. This is of special importance for patients with decompensated ear noise (severity grades 3 and 4). For ENT specialists it is important that the mental discomfort of patients must be taken seriously and should be identified through a targeted diagnosis. Effective treatment of the co-symptoms using cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in conjunction with medication often reduces the severity of tinnitus perception and discomfort.