First Presbyterian Church
100 Scotch Rd
Ewing, NJ
From the group leader, Dhyan Cassie, AuD
Dear friends:
Last month we talked about the Clinical Practice Guideline:Tinnitus , the guideline which is used by ENT physicians when treating tinnitus patients. For the most part, the guidelines are good, steering patients toward treatment when possible and sound devices for intractable tinnitus. The weakness in the guidelines is they by-pass the audiologists’ role in counseling and rehabilitation.
At our November meeting we will discuss products that are sometimes recommended by friends, TV, and even physicians. Are they just placebo or are they effective? We all are pretty sure that $10 tinnitus pills don’t help alleviate tinnitus, but what about acupuncture? We will review these commonly recommended treatments and decide if they are worth the time and money,
After all, a placebo may help up to 40% of patients. Do we have to think they are helping or do they even help when we know they are placebos? Does the provider have to believe in them to make them effective? Is it more effective if it is expensive - or less effective? This discussion will be interesting, and hopefully helpful.
Hope to see you November 10th.