Web help for tinnitus patients

One in 10 adults has tinnitus

The internet could help thousands of people who suffer from ringing ears to cope with their condition.

Doctors in Sweden have found offering psychological advice over the web can help some patients to deal better with the symptoms of tinnitus.

While psychological exercises cannot eliminate the ringing associated with the condition, it can reduce annoyance levels.

There is an urgent need to evaluate the pros and cons of Internet-administered treatment

Dr Gerhard Andersson

At least one in 10 adults have tinnitus. Most patients have mild symptoms but it can lead to depression, anxiety and insomnia in others.

Previous studies have found the cognitive behaviour therapy can help patients with the condition.

It enables patients to unlearn negative reactions to certain events, in this case the constant ringing in their ears.

Dr Gerhard Andersson and colleagues set out to see if offering this therapy over the internet could work.

They recruited 120 patients with tinnitus to take part in the study.

Half of the patients received web-based treatment immediately while the remainder received treatment later.

Anxiety

They were each given six weeks of cognitive behaviour therapy via the internet.

This included advice on how to relax, control their breathing and improve their sleep.

The patients reported they were less distressed or annoyed by their condition compared with those who had yet to start treatment. They also told doctors that they were less depression and suffered less anxiety.

However, the researchers warned the results were not hugely impressive.

Less than one in three patients said they had seen a substantial improvement.

However, Dr Andersson said the programme had still helped patients.

"Our impression from e-mails is that a majority of completers found the treatment to be beneficial," he said.

Further research

The researchers concluded that an internet-based therapy by itself is not enough to help patients.

They suggested any programme should also include regular telephone conversations and a greater emphasis on emails between patients and their doctor to help them understand the process.

They added the internet-based programme needs to be compared with face-to-face cognitive behaviour therapy sessions.

The researchers said the internet was more likely to complement rather than replace face-to-face treatment.

But Dr Andersson added: "Most likely the internet will change the way health care is provide in the future and hence there is an urgent need to evaluate the pros and cons of Internet-administered treatment."

The study is published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.