Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial
Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling (EAWN) on reducing tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress among older adults. Methods: This multicenter, assessor-blinded, parallel-group, randomized clinica...
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229925000664 |
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| author | Lai Fun Ho Yuanqi Guo Liyi Chen Herbert Fung Wai Yan Mak Siu Chuen Cheung Ping Him Tsang Min Chen Kam Leung Chan Hongwei Zhang Wai Tsz Chang Bacon Fung-Leung Ng Zhi Xiu Lin |
| author_facet | Lai Fun Ho Yuanqi Guo Liyi Chen Herbert Fung Wai Yan Mak Siu Chuen Cheung Ping Him Tsang Min Chen Kam Leung Chan Hongwei Zhang Wai Tsz Chang Bacon Fung-Leung Ng Zhi Xiu Lin |
| author_sort | Lai Fun Ho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling (EAWN) on reducing tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress among older adults. Methods: This multicenter, assessor-blinded, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2022 to April 2024 at three out-patient clinics in Hong Kong. Ninety eligible participants aged 50–70 years with subjective tinnitus for 0.5–24 months were equally randomized to EA, EAWN, or waitlist groups. Both treatment groups received two standardized treatment sessions per week for 5 weeks. The waitlist group received no treatment during the study period. The outcome measures were numeric rating scale (NRS) scores for tinnitus loudness, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scores, and safety outcomes. Assessments were conducted at baseline, weeks 5 and 10. Results: Both EA and EAWN groups showed significantly greater reductions in NRS scores for tinnitus loudness than did the waitlist group at weeks 5 (mean difference [95 % confidence interval]; EA: −1.91 [-2.79 to −1.03]; P < 0.001; EAWN: −1.81 [-2.68 to −0.94]; P < 0.001) and 10 (EA: −2.03 [-2.95 to −1.11]; P < 0.001; EAWN: −1.98 [-2.92 to −1.04]; P < 0.001). Improvements in total THI scores were also greater in the intervention groups at weeks 5 (P < 0.01) and 10 (P < 0.001). The two intervention groups showed no significant differences. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Both EA and EAWN therapies could be effective and safe treatments for subjective tinnitus in older adults. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-45ba5c17aeaf451f963eeb31bb5de620 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0965-2299 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-45ba5c17aeaf451f963eeb31bb5de6202025-08-20T02:17:14ZengElsevierComplementary Therapies in Medicine0965-22992025-08-019110319110.1016/j.ctim.2025.103191Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trialLai Fun Ho0Yuanqi Guo1Liyi Chen2Herbert Fung3Wai Yan Mak4Siu Chuen Cheung5Ping Him Tsang6Min Chen7Kam Leung Chan8Hongwei Zhang9Wai Tsz Chang10Bacon Fung-Leung Ng11Zhi Xiu Lin12Chinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SAR; Corresponding author.Chinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Services, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong SARSchool of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR; Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SARSchool of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SARDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR; Institute of Human Communicative Research, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SARChinese Medicine Department, Hospital Authority, Kowloon, Hong Kong SARSchool of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR; Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR; Corresponding author at: School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR.Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling (EAWN) on reducing tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related distress among older adults. Methods: This multicenter, assessor-blinded, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2022 to April 2024 at three out-patient clinics in Hong Kong. Ninety eligible participants aged 50–70 years with subjective tinnitus for 0.5–24 months were equally randomized to EA, EAWN, or waitlist groups. Both treatment groups received two standardized treatment sessions per week for 5 weeks. The waitlist group received no treatment during the study period. The outcome measures were numeric rating scale (NRS) scores for tinnitus loudness, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scores, and safety outcomes. Assessments were conducted at baseline, weeks 5 and 10. Results: Both EA and EAWN groups showed significantly greater reductions in NRS scores for tinnitus loudness than did the waitlist group at weeks 5 (mean difference [95 % confidence interval]; EA: −1.91 [-2.79 to −1.03]; P < 0.001; EAWN: −1.81 [-2.68 to −0.94]; P < 0.001) and 10 (EA: −2.03 [-2.95 to −1.11]; P < 0.001; EAWN: −1.98 [-2.92 to −1.04]; P < 0.001). Improvements in total THI scores were also greater in the intervention groups at weeks 5 (P < 0.01) and 10 (P < 0.001). The two intervention groups showed no significant differences. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Both EA and EAWN therapies could be effective and safe treatments for subjective tinnitus in older adults.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229925000664TinnitusAcupunctureElectroacupunctureWarm needlingRandomized controlled trial |
| spellingShingle | Lai Fun Ho Yuanqi Guo Liyi Chen Herbert Fung Wai Yan Mak Siu Chuen Cheung Ping Him Tsang Min Chen Kam Leung Chan Hongwei Zhang Wai Tsz Chang Bacon Fung-Leung Ng Zhi Xiu Lin Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial Complementary Therapies in Medicine Tinnitus Acupuncture Electroacupuncture Warm needling Randomized controlled trial |
| title | Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus: A multicenter, three-arm randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture combined with warm needling for subjective tinnitus a multicenter three arm randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Tinnitus Acupuncture Electroacupuncture Warm needling Randomized controlled trial |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229925000664 |
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