Electromagnetic stimulation as a treatment of tinnitus: a pilot study

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a study to determine whether pulsed electromagnetic stimulation, applied over the mastoid bone, caused an improvement in the level of tinnitus in long-standing tinnitus sufferers. Fifty-eight patients from the Liverpool Tinnitus Association volunteered to take part in a double-blind placebo controlled trial. Active and placebo devices were randomly allocated to these patients on their first visit. At the end of one week of treatment, each patient noted whether their tinnitus had completely disappeared, was improved, unchanged or made worse by the treatment Forty-five per cent of the patients who completed the trial were improved by the active device, but only 9% by placebo (P = 0.0013, Mann-Whitney test). We suggest that electromagnetic stimulation may be an effective treatment in some tinnitus sufferers.

A review of alternative treatments for tinnitus

“…A significant reduction in objective tinnitus parameters was observed in a study on electromagnetic stimulation, and 45% of those treated improved compared with 9% in the placebo group (38). Three further studies, however, failed to demonstrate any improvement in the treatment groups (35)(36)(37).…”

High‐Frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Energy in Tinnitus Treatment

“…Our study failed to show any benefit of pulsed electromagnetic therapy in the treatment of tinnitus when compared with placebo. However, the method of delivering the electromagnetic energy was different in the present study from that of Roland et al 14 High‐frequency pulsed electromagnetic field with a 6‐inch field depth penetration was applied approximately 1 inch lateral to the auricle in the current study, whereas Roland et al 14 used low‐frequency pulsed electromagnetic energy that was applied directly to the mastoid bone.…”

“…Pulsed electromagnetic therapy in the treatment of tinnitus was first reported by Roland et al 14 in 1993. They reported success in the treatment of tinnitus using variable low‐frequency pulsed electromagnetic stimulation to the mastoid bone.…”

Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Tinnitus

“…Furthermore, 9% of them reported improvement with the placebo. It is therefore thought that electromagnetic stimulation could be an effective treatment with some tinnitus patients [62].…”