Usefulness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with sensorineural acute and chronic tinnitus

Abstract

Background: Tinnitus is still a phenomenon with an unknown pathophysiology with few therapeutic measures. During the last two decades, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) has been used in the treatment of acute and chronic sensorineural hearing loss with or without concomitant tinnitus. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of HBO in patients with sensorineural acute and chronic tinnitus (CT) that appears in the course of acute and chronic sensorineural hearing loss. Material and methods: 61 patients with tinnitus (29 acute, 32 chronic) underwent HBO with simultaneous pharmacotherapy (group A). HBO consisted of 15 sessions in multiplace HBO chamber type A (250 kPa 100% O2). Before, immediately and 6 months after the end of treatment, the level of tinnitus was assessed by means of a visual analog scale (VAS), Vernon's tinnitus severity scores (VTSS) and questionnaire by Tyler and Baker. The obtained results we compared with 122 patients (group B) with tinnitus (70 acute and 52 chronic) treated only pharmacologically. Results: In the A group after treatment, tinnitus improvement (VAS) greater than 50% of initial loudness before treatment was assessed in patients with acute tinnitus (AT) in 17 patients (58.6%) and in patients with chronic tinnitus in 26 patients (81.3%). In the B group, satisfactory results were assessed in 29 patients (41.4%) with acute and 34 patients (65.4%) with chronic tinnitus. Similar results were obtained by VTSS and questionnaire. After 6 months, we noted inconsiderable regression of the positive effect of therapy, especially in patients with chronic tinnitus, in A as well as in B group. Conclusion: HBO may contribute to the treatment of tinnitus, particularly its chronic severe form.