[The effect of traditional Chinese acupuncture on severe tinnitus. A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study with an open therapeutic surveillance].

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of intensive acupuncture on severe tinnitus. The structure of the study was a randomized, double-blind, clinical investigation with open therapeutic surveillance and included 54 patients. All were subjected to 25 treatment sessions over a period of two months, each treatment lasting 30 minutes. Fifty-two patients completed the study. The variables used for self-registration were based on the Visual Analogue Scale, where annoyance, loudness and awareness of the tinnitus were assessed. These were recorded twice daily over a four month period starting one month before the first treatment and ending one month after the last treatment. Questionnaires, interviews and audiometry were carried out repeatedly. No statistically significant differences were found between the acupuncture group and the placebo group.