ABSTRACT
Tinnitus retraining therapy [TRT] focuses on the behavioural retraining of the associations induced by tinnitus perception and on inducing and further facilitating the process of habituation of tinnitus perception. It has two main elements: directive counselling which is more important and sound therapy.To determine the effects [success or failure] of counselling in TRT as a habituation method in the management of patients suffering from tinnitus. Full history taking, clinical examination [otoscopic, audiologic and medical], and categorisation of patients according to TRT categories in 137 chronic tinnitus patients into: groups I: 52 patients receiving counselling only [TRT Category 0], group II: 21 patients receiving counselling and noise generators [TRT category 1], and III: 34 patients receiving counselling and hearing aids [TRT category 2] and group IV 30 patients receiving medication. The Tinnitus H and icap Inventory [THI] translated into Arabic was used for scoring. A pre- and post-treatment score difference of at least 20 points revealed effectiveness of TRT compared to medical treatment.But was not revealed if the patient changed to a less severe h and icap with a score difference of 18.56 +/- 10.48. Although THI exists an important guide in individual management and monitoring to evaluate tinnitus treatment outcome, comparing the results with other studies is difficult due to the non-st and ardized scoring of the real improvement as well as the different questionnaires used.