Efficacy of Acupuncture on Chronic Tinnitus and Its Association With Auditory Brainstem Response Measures

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if acupuncture works to treat chronic tinnitus in adults. It will also learn about the neurophysiological effects of acupuncture on auditory conduction pathway function. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does acupuncture lower tinnitus-related disability and severity, as measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Tinnitus Effects Questionnaire (TEQ)? What changes in auditory brainstem response (ABR) parameters-such as wave I amplitude and wave V latency-occur after acupuncture treatment, and do these changes correlate with clinical improvement? Researchers will compare ABR parameters and clinical outcomes between chronic tinnitus patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls to characterize tinnitus-related abnormalities. Additionally, the study will evaluate changes within the patient group before and after a 10-session acupuncture course to assess treatment efficacy and explore its neurophysiological mechanisms.