[Tinnitus : from the general practitioner to the specialist]

Tinnitus is a common reason for ENT consultation. Patients who suffer from tinnitus are becoming more demanding and frequently ask questions about the cause, the mechanisms of onset, and the cure of their pathology. Quite often, they feel poorly managed or misunderstood, all the more so that, despite the proposed treatments, tinnitus persists and leads to adverse effects on the patients’ daily life. The general practitioner, because of his proximity, must be involved in the prevention, diagnosis and information of individuals with tinnitus and, thus, fully fulfill his acting public health role. To approach this condition, we will outline the clinical diagnosis and discuss the possible psychological repercussions; then, we will envisage the various treatment options that are currently available and evoke the future prospects in this area.