Tinnitus phases

Acute Phase

The acute phase of tinnitus lasts from the first appearance of the symptom up to a maximum of six weeks. Your first step should be to see your ENT doctor or general practitioner, who will then initiate the necessary diagnostic and therapeutic measures!

Subacute Phase

The transition phase from six weeks to three months after the initial onset of the ear noises is called the subacute phase. During this period, many diagnostic and medical treatment measures are typically completed, and many patients face the fact that the treatment outcome is insufficient. This realization often leads to further insecurity and worsening of the symptoms. Affected individuals develop their own behaviors to improve their situation, which not infrequently have the opposite effect (e.g., avoidance of larger noise environments, etc.). Hearing takes on an increasingly important function for the patients, and their reactions to sounds are given more and more attention. A vicious cycle begins: the patient focuses more and more on the ear noise (focusing), which increases the disturbance caused by the ear noise even further. Even in this phase, there are good treatment options available and they can be successful – if not already done, for example, intratympanic therapy, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, oxygenation, etc. Psychological or psychosomatic therapy to learn effective behaviors can also achieve desensitization from the ear noise to the point of completely ignoring the ear noise.

Chronic Phase

Chronic tinnitus refers to a symptom that has persisted for more than 3 months. In many cases, it is not only the ear noises that burden the affected individuals, but also various secondary symptoms triggered by the ear noise, which contribute to the worsening of the situation, such as sleep disturbances, depression, tension headaches, psychogenic dizziness, etc. Once in this phase, many sufferers resign themselves ("there's nothing more that can be done") – leading to a self-reinforcing cycle – a vicious circle.

This classification of tinnitus was developed from statistical surveys.