To review the historical evolution of tinnitus from ancient civilizations to contemporary neuromodulation-based therapies.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦
No actionable change — this is a narrative historical review with no new clinical data; it provides useful context for educators and trainees but does not alter current practice.
✦ Why It Matters ✦
Understanding the conceptual evolution of tinnitus from mystical affliction to neuroscience-grounded condition helps contextualize current neuromodulation research and highlights how far — and how slowly — the field has progressed.
✦ Key Points ✦
- 01Narrative review tracing tinnitus understanding from ancient civilizations to modern neuroscience.
- 02Covers historical treatments and theories across multiple eras and cultures.
- 03Describes the shift toward brain-based (neurological) models of tinnitus in contemporary science.
- 04Discusses modern neuromodulation therapies (e.g., TMS, tDCS, VNS) in historical context.
- 05No new clinical data are presented; purely historical and educational in scope.
✦ Research metadata ✦
- PMID
- 42867651
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00405-026-10711-0.
- Journal
- European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- na
- Population
- Historical literature and case records across ancient to contemporary periods
- Intervention
- Narrative synthesis of historical tinnitus concepts and treatments
Primary outcomes
Historical evolution of tinnitus understanding; Overview of contemporary neuroscience and neuromodulation approaches