Abstract
Abstract Tinnitus is a common and distressing symptom that is characterized by the perceived sensation of sound without a corresponding external stimulus. Intratympanic (IT) dexamethasone injection is used for the treatment of tinnitus by introducing the substance through the tympanic membrane, resulting in reduced systemic toxicity and a higher perilymph steroid level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of IT dexamethasone injection for controlling idiopathic tinnitus of cochlear origin. A total of 30 patients with subjective idiopathic tinnitus for at least 6 months were subjected to IT injection of dexamethasone, once per week for 4 weeks. Improvement in tinnitus was assessed using pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tinnitus matching test, and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory by comparing the results before and after therapy. Pure-tone audiometry did not show significant improvement. However, there was a significant improvement in speech audiometry, tinnitus loudness, and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory after the end of the four injections and in the subsequent evaluations 1 and 3 months later. IT dexamethasone injection could be a simple and effective method for controlling subjective idiopathic tinnitus. The tinnitus may not disappear, but will be alleviated, enabling the patient to cope more easily with the disease, and thus reducing their handicap.
Highlights
Subjective idiopathic tinnitus might be defined as the experience of noises in the ears or head without both aberrant etiology and external stimuli [1]
Materials and methods Thirty patients having persistent tinnitus for at least 6 months, refractory to medical line of management, in the age group of 30–60 years were selected from the ENT and Audiology outpatient clinics at Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt
There was a significant improvement in speech discrimination score after therapy (Table 1)
Summary
Subjective idiopathic tinnitus might be defined as the experience of noises in the ears or head without both aberrant etiology and external stimuli [1]. It is derived from the Latin word tinnire, which means to ring. This sound perception or noise emanating from the ears or head ranges from a barely noticeable annoyance to a debilitating chronic condition, which can interfere with a person’s quality of life and may be extremely annoying [2]. Conclusion IT dexamethasone injection could be a simple and effective method for controlling subjective idiopathic tinnitus. The tinnitus may not disappear, but will be alleviated, enabling the patient to cope more with the disease, and reducing their handicap
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