title: Efficacy of transmeatal low power laser irradiation on tinnitus: a preliminary report.
abstract: Thirty-eight patients suffering from tinnitus resistant to several medical therapies for more than 6 months were treated by low power laser irradiation. A 40 mW laser with a wavelength of 830 nm was irradiated via their external auditory meatus toward the cochlea for 9 min once a week, 10 times or more. Patients were asked to score their symptoms on a 5 point scale before and after the treatment for a subjective evaluation of the effect. The results were estimated by the change of the loudness and duration of tinnitus, and the degree of annoyance due to tinnitus. Although only 26% of the patients had improved duration, loudness and degree of annoyance were relieved in up to 58 and 55%, respectively, without major complication. Laser therapy seemed to be worth trying on patients with intractable tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiomi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Honjo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujiki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000532:radiotherapy*