이명환자에 대한 기존 치료법과 병행한 경두개 직류전기 자극치료 효과

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the efficacy of treatment of tinnitus when used Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with existing methods such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Sound therapy and tympanic injection therapy (dexa-methasone administration). Methods: We collected data from sixty tinnitus patients excluding patients with any other diseases. We divided sixty patients into two group, the control group and the experimental group. Thirty patients of the control group were treated using only the existing methods, and thirty patients of the experimental group were treated using the existing methods and tDCS together. Results: The control group showed a significant decrease in only Korea adaptation of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (K-THI) socre (p < 0.05) from 43.4 to 27.2. However, the experimental group showed a significant decrease in both K-THI score from 46.4 to 21.1 and tinnitus loudness from 14 dB sensation level (SL) to 8.8 dB SL (p < 0.05). The efficacy of tDCS in patients with tinnitus could not be fully confirmed by the current study because of the limited number of patients, but this study demonstrated a significant improvement of tinnitus intensity and K-THI score. Conclusion: tDCS is considered to be a promising tool for tinnitus management.