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Objective To review and meta-analyze the efficacy of educational counseling alone in tinnitus. Methods We collected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Analyzed the effect of educational counseling alone versus other forms of therapy (psychological or combination) with RevMan 5.3. Results In nine trials, 582 patients receiving educational counseling alone and 759 patients receiving other psychological or combination therapies. During the 3–6 months follow-up, there was no significant difference in the tinnitus recovery rate between these two groups (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.34–1.16, P = 0.14; I2 = 71%, P = 0.00, random-effects model). The tinnitus symptom severity rates were also similar during 1–12 months follow-up (mean difference, 3.59, 95% CI −0.56–7.74, P = 0.09) with heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 74%, P = 0.00; random-effects model). Sensitivity analysis indicated that a single trial containing almost 40% of the patients was the cause of heterogeneity. There was no significant change in tinnitus loudness at the 3 months follow-up (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.42–1.66, P = 0.61), with no significant heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, P = 0.60). Conclusion Educational counseling alone helps to improve tinnitus and related problems, and has the same effect as other psychological or combination therapies. Practice Implications The results of the current analysis may help to develop evidence-based cost-effective treatment(s) for tinnitus, which will be minimally burdensome for the patients.

Objective: To explore self-reported experience for different outpatient modes in tinnitus patients.Methods: A observational study design was adopted. Tinnitus outpatients from the otological medicine and routine otolaryngology of our hospital fulfilling the study criteria were enrolled between October 2018 and January 2020. They were examined by semi-structured interview questionnaire. Groups were formed according to the different outpatient modes. The data were analyzed with SPSS 23.0.Results: 193 questionnaires were included; 118 questionnaires of otological medicine outpatients, 75 questionnaires of otolaryngology outpatients. Nearly half of the otological medicine patients (48.3%) said that they communicated for 5–10 minutes with their doctor and a routine otolaryngology outpatient service usually takes 3–5 minutes (61.3%). However, most patients expected a longer time. Patient satisfaction and return visit rate of otological medicine (95.5% and 43.9%) were better than routine otolaryngology (77.3% and 7.1%). The main factors of efficacy considered physician interpretation and guidance.Conclusion: Both outpatient models can give patients a more satisfactory experience. Specialized outpatient service can better fit the shared decision making model, conducive to the rehabilitation and management of tinnitus. However, the long-term follow-up and management of patients still need to be scrutinized and improved continuously.

Objective To examine patient education knowledge, attitude/belief, and practices (KABP) among specialists who manage sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Methods A cross-sectional study design was employed wherein semi-structured interviews were conducted at a 2017 otorhinolaryngology meeting. In this survey, we asked the respondents about their perspectives regarding the imparting of SSNHL patient education. Results The sample consisted of 84 physicians from 23 cities in Sichuan province. Three quarters of the respondents felt SSNHL patient education was necessary. Notably, 67.9% of the respondents believed that patient education could improve treatment. Half of the respondents provided culturally tailored education (based on US guidelines) inclusive of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) notions of lifestyle adjustments. Internet platforms were an emerging preference for education delivery mode. Only 47.4% of participants reported being satisfied with their current patient education offerings, and these activities were regarded as needing improvement. Conclusion This study captured the perspectives of otorhinolaryngologists and otologists in China regarding the imparting of SSNHL patient education. The results of this survey should support Chinese physician’s implementation of SSNHL patient education. Practice implications Findings obtained with the present survey may be employed to support the importance of SSNHL patient education in China.

There is no standardized scheme for preoperative evaluation of adenoid hypertrophy or a consensus on surgical indications for adenoidectomy in children with otitis media with effusion (OME), especially for young children intolerant to nasal endoscopic assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and reliability of acoustic rhinometry (AR) in evaluating benefits from adenoidectomy in children with OME.Children with OME who were scheduled for surgical intervention were reviewed and AR tests performed preoperatively and postoperatively. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical strategy (Group I: tympanostomy tube placement alone; Group II: tympanostomy tube placement plus adenoidectomy). Correlation and regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between findings of AR and nasal endoscopy. AR parameters including minimal nasal cross-sectional area (MCA), and nasopharyngeal volume (NPV), as well as scores of subjective symptoms were obtained to evaluate the utility of AR pre- and post-surgery.Sixty-five children aged 4-10 years who met the inclusion criteria were included. No significant differences in gender or age distribution were observed between Group I and Group II. MCA, as well as NPV significantly decreased in Group II when compared with Group I (p = 0.000). A significant inverse correlation was observed between NPV and choanal obstruction ratio in both groups I (r = -0.625, p 0.001) and II (r = -0.570, p 0.001). A significant difference between preoperative and postoperative NPV and subjective symptom scores was observed in group II after adenoidectomy (p = 0.000).AR parameters showed a good clinical correlation with findings of nasal endoscopy and thus may be useful for evaluating candidacy for surgical adenoidectomy among children with OME, especially in whom preoperative nasal endoscopic examination is not feasible. Additionally, AR can reveal the changes occurring within the nasopharyngeal passage before and after adenoidectomy.