Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of comprehensive acupuncture therapy in treating tinnitus in elderly neurosensory deafness. Method Eighty elderly neurosensory deafness patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by oral administration of Mecobalamin tablets, and the treatment group was intervened by acupuncture plus acupoint injection plus auricular point sticking. The changes of tinnitus intensity after the treatment in the two groups were observed, the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups, and the correlation between disease duration and therapeutic efficacy was also observed. Result The tinnitus degree was significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 83.3% in the treatment group, versus 57.1% in the control group. There was a significant difference in comparing the clinical efficacy between the two groups (P<0.05). In both groups, the clinical efficacy of the patients with a disease duration ≤3 years was significantly different from that of the patients with a disease duration > 3 years in the same groups (P <0.05). Conclusion Comprehensive acupuncture therapy is an effective method in improving tinnitus in elderly neurosensory deafness.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect differences among the comprehensive therapy, acupuncture and oral mecobalamine for senile sensorineural hearing loss.

METHODSA total of 126 senile sensorineural hearing loss patients were randomized into a comprehensive group, an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 42 cases in each group. After removing and discontinuing cases, 40 cases in each group were included in the analysis. Acupuncture, acupoint injection and auricular point pressing were used in the comprehensive group. Acupuncture for 2 courses was at the affected Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2), Yifeng (TE 17), etc, once every other day, 10 times as a course with one week rest between 2 courses, 3 times a week. Acupuncture as the comprehensive group was applied in the acupuncture group. Mecobalamin tablet was prescribed orally for 2 courses in the western medication group, 3 times a day, 0.5 mg a time, 3 weeks as a course, one week at the interval. Pure tone hearing threshold value and tinnitus grading were observed before and after intervention in the three groups. The clinical effects were compared.

RESULTSAfter treatment, pure tone hearing threshold value and tinnitus grading were better than those before treatment in the three groups (all <0.05), with better results in the comprehensive group than those in the other two groups (all <0.05). The total effective rate of pure tone hearing threshold value was 82.5% (33/40) in the comprehensive group, which was superior to 67.0% (27/40) in the acupuncture group and 62.5% (25/40) in the western medication group (both <0.05). The total effective rate of tinnitus was 83.3% (30/36) in the comprehensive group, which was superior to 69.7% (23/33) in the acupuncture group and 57.1% (20/35) in the western medication group (both <0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe clinical effects of comprehensive therapy on senile sensorineural hearing loss are superior to those of simple acupuncture and oral administration of mecobalamin in terms of pure tone hearing threshold value and tinnitus grading.