Clinical observation on the different frequency hearing damages in sudden deafness treated by electroacupuncture combined with western medicine comprehensive therapy

Abstract

ObjectiveTo compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on the different frequency hearing damages for the patients with sudden deafness between the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine and the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy. MethodsFifty-eight cases were randomized into an acupuncture plus medication group (28 cases, 32 damaged ears) and a western medicine group (30 cases, 34 damaged ears). In the acupuncture plus medication group, the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine was used. The main points were Ěrmén (▪ TE 21), Tīnggōng (▪ SI 19), Tīnghuì (▪ GB 2), Yìfāng (▪ TE 17), etc. The western medicine therapy was the comprehensive treatment with vasodilators, the medicines for promoting nerve function and releasing inner ear edema and hyperbaric oxygen. In the western medicine group, the western medicine comprehensive therapy was adopted. 10-day treatment made one session. Two sessions of treatment were required. In 1 or 2 sessions of treatment, the efficacy was observed, the electric audiometry was evaluated. Additionally, the blood routine and liver and kidney functions were detected. ResultsThe total effective rate was 50.0% (16/32) in the acupuncture + medication group and was 55.9% (19/34) in the western medicine group. The efficacies were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). In 1 and 2 sessions of treatment, at 250 Hz, 500 Hz and 1 kHz, the electric audiometry values in either group were recovered significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.01). At 2 kHz, in 1 and 2 sessions of treatment, the improvements of the electric audiometry values were significant as compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture plus medication group separately (P<0.05, P<0.01). At 4 kHz, the differences were not significant statistically before and after treatment in either group (all P>0.05). There were no abnormalities in the blood routine and liver and kidney function detections before and after treatment in either group. ConclusionEither the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine or the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy is effective in the treatment of low frequency hearing damage of sudden deafness. Either of them has no effect on high frequency hearing damage. But for the middle frequency hearing damage, the efficacy of the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine is superior to that of the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy.