Psihijatrijski pristup tinitusu

Abstract

Tinnitus is a symptom with a significant incidence in the general population, usually of unclear etiology, that can cause serious difficulties in people's daily functioning, significantly impair the quality of life, and have a negative impact on mental health. The paper aims to present a brief overview of current knowledge about this frequent and unpleasant phenomenon, including epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. The paper highlights contemporary theories of tinnitus that link damage to the peripheral organ of hearing and the consequent neuronal changes involved in the subjective experience, which are the target sites for treating psychological disorders associated with tinnitus. The psychiatric approach to tinnitus is aimed not so much at reducing the sound intensity as at reducing the negative experience of this phenomenon and preventing the development or worsening of existing psychological disorders. The results of previous researches indicate numerous therapeutic options for treating tinnitus, including drugs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and neuromodulation techniques with promising results.