Background: Sound perception in the ear without external source is defined as tinnitus. In recent years, low level laser therapy has been widely used in the treatment of tinnitus.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of low level laser therapy in the treatment of bilateral subjective tinnitus concomitant with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
Methods: A total of 30 patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss accompanied with bilateral subjective tinnitus collected from outpatient clinics of otorhinolaryngology department in Al-Azhar University hospitals and National Hearing and Speech Institute, during the period from September 2018 to December 2019. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) & Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) were assessed. All the patients received Low-Level Laser Therapy in one ear and a placebo in the other ear. Follow-up period was for 3 and 6 months.
Results: As regards VAS score, the mean of the active laser group of patients was (8) before the sessions which changed to (5.1) 3 months after completion of the sessions, while it worsened to (7.5) 6 months after completion of the sessions. As regards THI severity score, the mean of tinnitus handicap inventory was (54.7) before the sessions and became (38.1) 3 months after the sessions but worsened 6 months after the sessions (49.1). There was non-statistically significant change in VAS and THI score from baseline to 6 months post-intervention.
Conclusion: Low-Level Laser Therapy for sensorineural tinnitus seemed to be a safe method in reducing the severity of tinnitus, but there was non-statistically significant difference from baseline to 6 months post-intervention.