New UK research has found that a new
mindfulness-based approach to tinnitus could transform the treatment of the
condition.
Published in the journals Ear and Hearing and
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, the research led by Dr Laurence McKenna from
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) and Dr Liz
Marks, from Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, found that
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) helps to significantly reduce the
severity of tinnitus compared to relaxation-based treatments, an approach
recommended by many tinnitus clinics.
Tinnitus, described as a sensation or awareness
of sound that is not caused by an external sound source, affects approximately
six million people in the UK - 10 percent of the UK's population. Approximately
1 in 100 people are very distressed or disabled by it and as many as 1 in 20
people are at least moderately distressed by it. Tinnitus is associated with
complaints of emotional stress, insomnia, auditory perceptual problems and
concentration problems.
As yet there is no treatment to stop the
tinnitus noise but this research, funded by the British Tinnitus Association
(BTA), shows clearly that treatment can make it less severe, intrusive and
bothersome.
Dr Liz Marks, from the Department of Psychology
at the University of Bath, will explore the report's findings in more detail at
the BTA's annual conference in Birmingham in September. She said: "We
compared MBCT to relaxation therapy, a traditional treatment for people with
chronic tinnitus, to determine if MBCT was a better option than the current
recommended practice.
"In total 75 patients took part in the
trial at UCLH's Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital receiving either
MBCT or relaxation therapy. The study found that both treatments led to a
reduction in tinnitus severity, psychological distress, anxiety and depression
for patients.
"However, the MBCT treatment led to
significantly greater reductions in tinnitus severity than the relaxation
treatment, and this improvement lasted for longer. In addition, 182 patients
who completed MBCT routinely in our clinic showed a similar level of improvement."
Relaxation therapy provides patients with
specific skills to reduce stress arousal levels. In contrast, MBCT, taught by
highly-trained clinical psychologists, teaches patients to pay purposeful,
present-moment attention to experiences, rather than trying to supress those
experiences. Practicing mindfulness meditation in this way can cultivate a more
helpful way of responding to tinnitus. People learn how to 'allow' and 'accept'
tinnitus, rather than having to 'fight it' or 'push it away'. Mindfulness does
not aim to change the nature or sound of the tinnitus, but the therapy can lead
to tinnitus becoming less intrusive, to a point where it is no longer a problem
for people.
Dr Marks added: "MBCT turns traditional
tinnitus treatment on its head - so rather than trying to avoid or mask the
noise, it teaches people to stop the battle with tinnitus.
"The mindfulness approach is radically
different from what most tinnitus sufferers have tried before, and it may not
be right for everyone. We are confident, however, that the growing research
base has demonstrated how it can offer an exciting new treatment to people who
may have found that traditional treatment has not been able to help them yet.
We hope the results of our research will be one of the first steps to MBCT becoming
more widely adopted."
David Stockdale, chief executive of the British
Tinnitus Association, said: "The results of this research are extremely
encouraging particularly for people with chronic tinnitus who find that current
treatments are not working for them. We really hope that more people will be
able to benefit from this approach moving forward."
"Funding this kind of innovative research
is a major part of what we do here at the BTA but as a charity, we rely heavily
on the donations made to us. We hope more people will support us as we work
tirelessly to grow the understanding and knowledge around tinnitus in order to
help people with the condition to manage."
Dr McKenna and Dr Marks are now continuing
their research in tinnitus looking at how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can be
used to treat tinnitus related insomnia.
Published in: https://www.news-medical.net/news/
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