Manual Acupuncture for Acute Primary Tinnitus

June 10, 2026 updated by: Dan Bing

Manual Acupuncture Versus Sham Acupuncture and Usual Care for Acute Primary Tinnitus: Multicentre, Randomized Clinical Trial

This clinical trial aims to assess the efficacy of manual acupuncture for patients with acute primary tinnitus.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a multicentre, randomised, controlled clinical trial with blinded participants, outcome assessment and statistician. The total trial period will be 14 weeks, including two weeks of baseline assessment, four weeks of treatment, and eight weeks of follow-up. A total of 180 patients with acute primary tinnitus will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 10 sessions of manual acupuncture, 10 sessions of sham acupuncture, or usual care alone over 4 weeks. Informed consent will be obtained from each patient before randomization.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
180

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • China
    • Hubei
      • Wuhan, Hubei, China, 430030
        • Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology,

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Aged 18-65 years, male or female;
  2. Primary complaint is persistent tinnitus (unilateral or bilateral);
  3. Meet the diagnostic criteria for primary tinnitus according to the 2014 Clinical Practice Guideline developed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF);
  4. Had continuous tinnitus ≥2 weeks and <6 months;
  5. Tinnitus should be bothersome, with a screening THI score 28-76;
  6. Acupuncture naive;
  7. Able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Objective tinnitus;
  2. Pulsatile tinnitus;
  3. Diagnosed as secondary tinnitus as evaluated by audiologists and clinicians(Menière's disease, temporomandibular joint disorder or other diseases);
  4. Had evidence of conductive hearing loss (confirmed by abnormal otoscopy or tympanogram);
  5. Had contraindications for acupuncture, including curent pregnant, severe anemia, coagulation disorders, etc;
  6. Having difficulties in expressing their symptoms clearly( severe mental disorders or cognitive impairment);
  7. Currently suffering from other serious acute or chronic organic diseases, such as cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, liver, kidney, hematological diseases, infectious diseases, or malignant tumors;
  8. Has received intratympanic injection, postauricular injection, corticosteroids, or other medications for tinnitus treatment (includingTraditional Chinese Medicine or proprietary Chinese medicines) within the past 2 weeks or at baseline;
  9. Participated in other clinical trials, particularly those closely related to tinnitus treatment, such as sound therapy;
  10. have a strong desire for medication treatment.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Manual acupuncture group
Ten sessions of 30 minute manual acupuncture are deivered during a four-week treatment period.
Behavioral: Usaual care
Health education and standard evaluation related to tinnitus
Other: Manual acupuncture
Ten manual acupuncture sessions will be delivered over 4 weeks, with treatment frequency decreasing from 3 sessions per week for the first 2 weeks to 2 sessions per week for the remaining weeks.
Sham Comparator: Sham acupuncture
Ten sessions of 30 minute sham acupuncture are deivered during 4 weeks.
Behavioral: Usaual care
Health education and standard evaluation related to tinnitus
Other: Sham acupuncture
Ten manual acupuncture sessions will be delivered over 4 weeks, with treatment frequency decreasing from 3 sessions per week for the first 2 weeks to 2 sessions per week for the last 2 weeks.
Other: Usual care
Health education and guidance related to tinnitus
Behavioral: Usaual care
Health education and standard evaluation related to tinnitus

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI, 0-100)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
25-item measure of tinnitus-related handicap; total score 0-100, higher scores indicate greater handicap. In details, 0-16 points indicate no handicap; 18-36 points indicate mild handicap;38-56 points indicate moderate handicap; 58-76 points indicate severe handicap and >76 points indicate catastrophic handicap.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI, 0-100)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
25-item self-report measure of tinnitus-related functional impact; total score 0-100, higher scores indicate greater impairment.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effective response rate of THI
Time Frame: End of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Effective response rate of THI is defined as the proportion of patients with a THI score decrease of ≥7 points.
End of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Effective response rate of TFI.
Time Frame: End of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Effective response rate of TFI is defined as the proportion of patients with a TFI score decrease of ≥13 points.
End of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for aural fullness
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
We will use a 10-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (0 = no tinnitus, 10 = the most loud of tinnitus) to assess aural fullness.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for tinnitus
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The VAS will be used to assess the intensity of tinnitus. 0 indicates "no aural fullness", and 10 indicates "the most severe aural fullness".
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The pittsburgh Sleep Qual-ityIndex (PSQI) is a self-rated questionnaire which assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a 1-month time interval. It has 19 questions which can be grouped into seven categories: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep dis-turbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction.The PSQI total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS) will be adopted to assess depression.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS) will be adopted to assess anxiety.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire(WHOQOL-BREF)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Quality of life assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), yielding domain scores and an overall score (0-100; higher scores indicate better quality of life).
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire (PDRQ-9)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire (PDRQ-9) is to assess patient-doctor relationship.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Adverse Events
Time Frame: Up to 4 weeks (manual acupuncture/sham acupuncture sessions 1-10)
Adverse events assessed each acupuncture treatment visit using a acupuncture adverse events questionnaire recording presence and severity of side effects (e.g., subcutaneous hemorrhage, minor bleeding) related to acupuncture, plus event frequency.
Up to 4 weeks (manual acupuncture/sham acupuncture sessions 1-10)
Assessment of blinding
Time Frame: At 12 weeks after randomization
At the end of the study, we will determine the maintenance of blinding of patients by asking them whether they thought the needles had penetrated the skin.
At 12 weeks after randomization
Acupuncture expectancy scale(AES)
Time Frame: Baseline visit, and end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization,.
The Acupuncture Expectancy Scale (AES) will be completed by participants in the verum and sham acupuncture groups at baseline and at the end of treatment (4 weeks after randomization). The questionnaire will not be administered to the usual care group.
Baseline visit, and end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization,.
Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale(MASS)
Time Frame: Up to 4 weeks (manual acupuncture/sham acupuncture sessions 1-10)
The Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale, which includes twelve specific descriptors-soreness, aching, deep pressure, heaviness, fullness or distension, tingling, numbness, sharp pain, dull pain, warmth, cold, and throbbing-as well as an open field for patients to describe the sensation in their own words, will be administered following a brief explanation of de qi sensations by the acupuncturist to participants in the verum acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups, while the usual care group will not receive this questionnaire.
Up to 4 weeks (manual acupuncture/sham acupuncture sessions 1-10)
Auditory Sensitivity Scale
Time Frame: Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.
Auditory Sensitivity Scale is a self-report questionnaire consisting of general questions on tinnitus and sound intolerance, along with 25 items rated on different scoring scales (e.g., 0/2/5, 0/1/2, 0/10), and provides a severity classification based on the total score: 31-55 for mild, 56-80 for moderate, 81-100 for severe, and 101-126 for very severe.
Baseline visit, end of treatment at 4 weeks after randomization, post-treatment at 8 weeks after randomization and 12 weeks after randomization.

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10)
Time Frame: Baseline visit(before randomization)
Personality is assessed by a10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10).
Baseline visit(before randomization)
Pure-Tone Audiometry(PTA)
Time Frame: Baseline visit(before randomization)
Pure tone audiometry is conducted under standard soundproof conditions using the Hughson-Westlake method to obtain the air conduction threshold (bone conduction threshold is only used for diagnosis, to determine whether there is conductive hearing loss, and to assist in the screening process; statistical analysis only uses the air conduction threshold). The standard test frequencies range from 0.25 to 8 kHz. If conditions permit, extended high frequencies (Extended High Frequency, EHF; ≥ 9-16 kHz) are added, and necessary masking is performed in accordance with the norms.
Baseline visit(before randomization)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Dan Bing

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Taihe Hospital
Wuhan No.1 Hospital
The Third People's Hospital of Hubei Province
Hubei Xinhua Hospital
Qianjiang Central Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dan Bing, PhD, Tongji Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 12, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 31, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 31, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Tinnitus(2025-TJ-MA)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

IPD after de-identification can be shared on individual request to the principal investigator at didibing1981@aliyun.com

IPD Sharing Time Frame

IPD and supporting information will be available within 2 years after publication of the results.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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