Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation in Chronic Subjective Tinnitus

It is aimed to determine the therapeutic role of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on chronic subjective tinnitus with a randomized and comparative analysis. 46 individuals with normal hearing, chronic subjective tinnitus, aged 20–65; randomly divided into the study (TENS therapy) and tje control groups. The control group (n = 23) was informed only about tinnitus, while the study group (n = 23) received TENS therapy (20 sessions in 4 weeks). Before TENS therapy, tinnitus-related evaluations of all participants [tinnitus frequency, loudness, minimum masking level (MMS), residual inhibition (RI)] were made and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Short Form 36 (SF-36), and The Quality of Life Scale were applied to the participants. These evaluations and questionnaires were repeated after 4 weeks of the therapy. There was a significant decrease in the tinnitus severity after TENS therapy in the study group (p = 0.003). Moreover, it was found that VAS (loudness and annoyance), THI (functional, emotional and total score), SF-36 (physical function, physical role, pain, general health, vitality, emotional role and social function) values improved compared to before TENS therapy and the difference was significant (p 0.05). TENS is an effective, practical and reliable therapy method in reducing severity, loudness, and annoyance of tinnitus, and increasing the quality of life in individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus.