The Synthesis of Tinnitus and Hypnosis Research

Exploring Hypnotherapy as the Missing Link to Greater Relief

Twenty years ago, science knew little about tinnitus, the persistent ringing in the ear. While research has advanced significantly, the 17-year lag between health discoveries and clinical application means a true solution remains distant.
We now understand many of tinnitus’ causes, mechanisms and subjective experiences. Its complexity makes finding a universal cure nearly impossible – what works for one person may not work for another.

Researchers now advocate individualised treatment, often combining physical and psychological approaches. Among these, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most researched and widely recommended for management, coping and habituation.

However, alternative approaches remain significantly underexplored, whether alone or in combination. Hypnotherapy is one such approach. Despite multiple small studies showing quality-of-life improvement for about 70% of participants, the subjectivity of tinnitus, inconsistent study designs and methodologies hinder proper evaluation. As a result, hypnotherapy has been largely ignored by the tinnitus research community.

This presentation aims to change that. Hypnotherapy holds great potential to address tinnitus holistically, offering much more than just management and habituation.

By bridging the gap between current tinnitus and hypnotherapy research and practical experience, we will evaluate hypnotherapy’s potential as an individually targeted and non-invasive intervention for tinnitus relief.

Astrid Harms is a hypnotherapist and coach at www.soulessense.co in Amsterdam, working online with clients worldwide, specialising in challenging issues like tinnitus and chronic conditions. With a background in TV, media, and technical communication, she simplifies complex topics to make them easy to understand for anyone, and apply the insights in daily practice. Astrid loves to explore the connections between hypnotherapy, neuroscience, cognitive science, epigenetics, and mind-body disciplines. By integrating this knowledge into her sessions, she helps clients achieve significant improvements in well-being.