Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing as a treatment for tinnitus

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for tinnitus.

Study design: Single-site prospective interventional clinical trial at a university hospital in the United Kingdom.

Methods: Participants were provided with tEMDR. This is a bespoke EMDR protocol that was developed specifically to treat individuals with tinnitus. Participants received a maximum of 10 sessions of tEMDR. Outcome measures including tinnitus questionnaires and mood questionnaires were recorded at baseline, discharge, and at 6 months postdischarge.

Results: Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory scores demonstrated a statistically significant improvement at discharge after EMDR intervention (P = .0005 and P = .0098, respectively); this improvement was maintained at 6 months postdischarge. There was also a moderate but not significant (P = .0625) improvement in Beck Anxiety Inventory scores.

Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that the provision of tEMDR has resulted in a clinically and statistically significant improvement in tinnitus symptoms in the majority of those participants who took part. Furthermore, the treatment effect was maintained at 6 months after treatment ceased. This study is of particular interest, as the study protocol was designed to be purposefully inclusive of a diverse range of tinnitus patients. However, as a small uncontrolled study, these results do not consider the significant effects of placebo and therapist interaction. Larger high-quality studies are essential for the verification of these preliminary results.

Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:2384-2390, 2019.

Keywords: Tinnitus; eye movement desensitization and reprocessing; neurotology; quality of life.