Effectiveness of Dry needling as a treatment for long lasting Tinnitus

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Tinnitus; C09.218.458

• Registration Number: RBR-6rzh4h2
• Lead Sponsor: Hospital Edmundo Vasconcelos / Fundação Instituto de Moléstias do Aparelho Digestivo e da Nutrição

Brief Summary

Introduction: Tinnitus is an abnormal perception of sound in the absence of an external sound source, representing a prevalent condition with diverse pathophysiology. The presence of myofascial trigger points seems to be associated with tinnitus, suggesting that deactivating these trigger points may lead to an improvement in tinnitus. Objective: Our hypothesis is that dry needling, by deactivating trigger points, may result in tinnitus improvement. Methods: This is an open-label controlled clinical study involving 20 participants with tinnitus lasting more than 3 months and presenting trigger points in the cervical and masticatory musculature. Eleven patients underwent dry needling procedures weekly for 3 weeks, while the remaining 9 participants formed the control group. EVA and THI scales were applied at the beginning and end of the study to assess tinnitus intensity. Results: THI scores in the intervention group significantly decreased compared to the control group, although causation cannot be firmly established due to the sample size. The VAS did not show temporal differences or variations between the groups. Conclusion: Dry needling holds the potential to reduce the impact of tinnitus in individuals with trigger points, even when including patients with associated hearing loss

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Completion: 2023-01-30
• Study Start: 2024-05-22
• Last Update Posted: 25 June 2024

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Data analysis completed
• Sex: Not specified
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

Patients over 18 years old; tinnitus for at least 3 months; trigger points on physical examination

Exclusion Criteria

Pulsatile tinnitus; coagulopathy or anticoagulant use; dermatological lesion at the needling site; pregnancy; needle phobia

Study & Design

• Study Type: Intervention
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The expected outcome is a reduction in tinnitus intensity, assessed using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
o secondary outcomes are expected