Efficacy of adjuvant Chinese herbal formula treatment for chronic tinnitus: A retrospective observational study

Summary Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of using western anti-tinnitus therapy with or without Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang (CHJLGMLT) to treat patients with chronic tinnitus. Methods A descriptive case series with chart review was established to compare pati...

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Published in:Complementary therapies in medicine 2015-04, Vol.23 (2), p.226-232
Main Authors: Lin, Chia-Hui, Kuo, Chun-En, Yu, Hao-Chang, Lai, Yu-Kai, Huang, Yu-Chuen, Tsai, Ming-Yen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang
Chinese herbal medicine
Chinese medicine
Chronic Disease
Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use
Female
Herbal medicine
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Medical Education
Middle Aged
Patients
Retrospective Studies
Retrospective study
Severity of Illness Index
Studies
Tinnitus
Tinnitus - drug therapy
Tinnitus - physiopathology
Treatment Outcome
Visual Analog Scale
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Summary:Summary Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of using western anti-tinnitus therapy with or without Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang (CHJLGMLT) to treat patients with chronic tinnitus. Methods A descriptive case series with chart review was established to compare patients with chronic tinnitus who had received CHJLGMLT with western anti-tinnitus therapy (the CHJLGMIT group) with those who received western anti-tinnitus therapy alone (the non-CHJLGMIT group). We included 21 patients, 10 patients in the CHJLGMIT group with CHJLGMLT and 11 patients in the non-CHJLGMIT group. Both groups were comparable in terms of patient demographics and clinical characteristics. The follow-up examinations included the assessment of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of 0–10 for tinnitus intensity, pure tone audiometry (PTA), and speech reception threshold (SRT). Results After 2 months of treatment, THI and PSQI scores were reduced significantly more in the CHJLGMIT group ( p < 0.05) than in the non-CHJLGMIT group. Scores on the emotional subscale of the THI were significantly reduced in the CHJLGMIT group ( p < 0.05) after treatment, but the effects on the seven PSQI subscales did not differ significantly between the two groups ( p > 0.05). Scores on the VAS for tinnitus loudness were significantly reduced in both groups ( p < 0.05). No significant differences between the two groups were found on the binaural hearing tests (PTA and SRT). Conclusions Our study found that adjuvant CHJLGMLT therapy for chronic tinnitus may exert additional efficacy by improving psychological sensation of tinnitus and sleep quality. Future randomized controlled double-blind studies should be performed to elucidate its efficacy.
ISSN:0965-2299
1873-6963
DOI:10.1016/j.ctim.2015.01.002