Abstract

TRIAL OF LOW POWER (790-805NM) DIODE LASER IN REDUCTION OF TINNITUS SYMPTOMS

*Dr. Widad Musa Salman, Dr. Mohammad Ali Abdullah Resin Alfarttoosi and Dr. Azad Abdulrahman Ridha Alkokachi

ABSTRACT

Many studies have been conducted regarding using low power laser in treating patients suffering from tinnitus. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of low power laser in the treatment of tinnitus (subjective tinnitus of sensor- neural in origin). A new procedure used in this study by selecting 19 patients suffering from tinnitus who had not responded to medical therapy for a long period of time. Twenty-seven ears in 19 patients with unilateral or bilateral tinnitus were selected for this study, 2 W diode laser applied toward cochlea for 7.5 min. three times per week. A questionnaire was applied by asking patients to score their symptoms on a percentage scale before and after laser irradiation. A decrease of one scale regarding the loudness, duration of tinnitus and degree of annoyance of tinnitus is accepted to represent any improvement. The results were estimated by the change of loudness, duration and degree of annoyance due to tinnitus. 57.8%of patients have demonstrated improvement in their tinnitus. It is concluded that laser therapy seemed to be worth trying on patients with intractable tinnitus.

Keywords: A questionnaire was applied by asking patients to score their symptoms on a percentage scale before and after laser irradiation.