Transdermal lidocaine as treatment for chronic subjective tinnitus: A pilot study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo assess the efficacy of transdermal lidocaine as a treatment for chronic subjective tinnitus as measured by the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI).\n\n\nSTUDY DESIGN\nPilot, prospective efficacy trial.\n\n\nSETTING\nTertiary care hospital.\n\n\nPATIENTS\nMen and women, over the age of 18 with chronic subjective tinnitus for >6\u202fmonths.\n\n\nINTERVENTION\nDaily application of commercially available transdermal lidocaine patch.\n\n\nOUTCOME MEASURE\nChange in the TFI.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe average pre-treatment TFI score was 56.2. After 1\u202fmonth the average TFI decreased to 41 (p\u202f<\u202f0.05). The scores dropped to 34 and 35 after 2 and 3\u202fmonths of treatment respectively. Despite improvement in symptoms of tinnitus, most patients did not continue the study after the first month, dropping out due to the size, discomfort, and appearance of the lidocaine patch, failure to follow-up and lack of perceived benefit from treatment.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nIn this preliminary study, 5% transdermal lidocaine appears to be a potential treatment for chronic subjective tinnitus. The majority of subjects who completed 1\u202fmonth of treatment had clinically significantly improved tinnitus. These findings are confounded however by the small sample size and significant drop out rate.