Mindfulness-based therapy for chronic tinnitus: a narrative review

Abstract

Chronic tinnitus is often accompanied by considerable psychological burden, including anxiety, depression, and impaired quality of life. Mindfulness-based therapy has attracted growing attention as a potential psychological intervention for tinnitus management. This narrative review examines the current literature on the rationale, clinical application, reported efficacy, limitations, and future directions of mindfulness-based therapy in chronic tinnitus. Current evidence suggests that mindfulness-based interventions may help reduce tinnitus-related distress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance quality of life, while evidence for direct effects on tinnitus loudness remains limited. Although findings from existing studies are encouraging, the literature is heterogeneous with respect to intervention types, comparator conditions, and outcome measures. Mindfulness-based therapy may therefore represent a useful adjunctive option for some patients with chronic tinnitus, but further rigorous research is required to better define its clinical role.

Keywords: chronic tinnitus; mindfulness practice; mindfulness therapy; narrative review; psychological intervention.