Low-level laser therapy for treatment of tinnitus in Red Sea scuba divers: a randomized clinical study

Abstract

Background: Scuba diving has become a popular hobby. However, diving puts the auditory system at the risk of a wide variety of complaints including tinnitus. Low-level laser therapy is a new modality in treatment of tinnitus. This study evaluates effect of laser therapy on tinnitus of scuba divers in Red Sea. This randomized study included 200 scuba diving patients with tinnitus without any other audiological symptoms. They were randomly divided into two groups: GI (n=100) patients were subjected to 60 sessions of laser therapy, and in the other group GII (n=100), the machine was off while doing the procedure. The Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ) was done every 20 days to evaluate the severity of the tinnitus for both groups. Results: Both groups were matched regarding age and sex distribution. GI group experienced significantly decreased tinnitus severity compared to GII after laser therapy. There was no relation between duration of diving and laser therapy effect in GI. Conclusion: Laser therapy is effective in treatment of tinnitus of scuba divers and its effect is increased by number of laser sessions.