Assessment and management of tinnitus: summary of NICE guidance

### What you need to know Tinnitus is a common condition in children, young people, and adults. It is the perception of sounds in the ears or head that do not come from an outside source.1 Ten per cent of the population will have tinnitus at some point.2 It can be associated with difficulty in concentrating and listening, and for some people it can be extremely distressing and have a substantial impact on their mental wellbeing, family, work, and social life.2 This article summarises the most recent recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on tinnitus: assessment and management (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng155). The guideline does not cover the full clinical pathway but focuses on areas raised at the stakeholder consultations. NICE recommendations are based on systematic reviews of best available evidence and explicit consideration of cost effectiveness. When minimal evidence is available, recommendations are based on the guideline development committee (GC)’s experience and opinion of what constitutes good practice. The levels of evidence supporting the recommendations are given in italics in square brackets. ### Tinnitus support Tinnitus support (sometimes known as tinnitus counselling) should provide people with tinnitus and their family members or carers with the opportunity to discuss their experience of tinnitus with a healthcare professional (including …