Mindfulness-based therapy for chronic tinnitus: a narrative review.
Frontiers in Psychology January 1, 2026 Zhongfu Zhang, Qingqin Xu, Jing Wang et al.
Chronic tinnitus often causes anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life. Mindfulness-based therapy has emerged as a potential psychological intervention. This narrative review examines the rationale, clinical application, efficacy, limitations, and future directions of mindfulness-based therapy for chronic tinnitus. Current evidence suggests that mindfulness-based interventions may reduce tinnitus-related distress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance quality of life, while evidence for direct effects on tinnitus loudness remains limited. The literature is heterogeneous in intervention types, comparators, and outcome measures. Mindfulness-based therapy may be a useful adjunctive option for some patients, but more rigorous research is needed to define its clinical role.