Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT).

In the history of tinnitus research and treatment, many attempts have been directed toward abolishing or minimizing tinnitus. Despite all these efforts, until now no treatment has been found to successfully eliminate tinnitus permanently. As a consequence, increasing efforts have been undertaken by behavioral scientists and psychologists to eliminate or at least ameliorate psychological symptoms associated with tinnitus. The aim of psychological interventions is not to 'cure' or to eliminate the inner noise but to reduce tinnitus-related distress and increase quality of life. If patients are no longer bothered by their inner noises and the question of how tinnitus can be removed, they might become secondary. As long as tinnitus itself cannot be eliminated, the main intention of all therapeutic interventions is to alleviate suffering from tinnitus. Cognitive behavioral interventions are the most widely used psychological strategies for coping with tinnitus. The goal of the therapy is to alter maladaptive cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to tinnitus and not to abolish the sound itself. There are two main components to this approach: (a) Cognitive restructuring and (b) Behavioral modification. Treatment programs are comprised of techniques like relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, attention control techniques, imagery training, and exposure to difficult situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Accession Number: 2010-26189-071. Partial author list: First Author & Affiliation: Greimel, Karoline V.; Salzburg University Hospital, Salzburg, Austria. Release Date: 20110523. Correction Date: 20160616. Publication Type: Book (0200), Edited Book (0280). Format Covered: Print. Document Type: Chapter. Book Type: Textbook/Study Guide. ISBN: 978-1-60761-144-8, Hardcover; 978-1-60761-145-5, PDF. Language: English. Major Descriptor: Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapeutic Techniques; Tinnitus. Minor Descriptor: Behavior Modification; Cognitive Restructuring. Classification: Vision & Hearing & Sensory Disorders (3299); Behavioral & Psychological Treatment of Physical Illness (3361). Population: Human (10). Intended Audience: Psychology: Professional & Research (PS). References Available: Y. Page Count: 5.