To describe the protocol for a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of penetrating needling compared with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in patients with subjective tinnitus.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
This is a protocol paper only—no results are available yet; audiologists treating tinnitus patients should continue using evidence-based approaches such as CBT and sound therapy while awaiting trial outcomes.
A rigorous head-to-head RCT comparing acupuncture with CBT for tinnitus could fill an important evidence gap and potentially expand or refine treatment options for a condition with limited curative therapies.
- 01RCT protocol paper comparing penetrating needling (acupuncture) vs. cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for subjective tinnitus.
- 02No results are reported—this is a study design/protocol publication only.
- 03Published in Frontiers in Neurology (2026).
- 04CBT is a currently recognised evidence-based treatment for tinnitus management.
- 05Trial outcomes will be important for establishing or refuting the clinical role of acupuncture in tinnitus care.
A randomized controlled trial directly comparing penetrating needling and CBT for subjective tinnitus is feasible and warranted.
opinionunclear- PMID
- 42827440
- DOI
- 10.3389/fneur.2026.1877858.
- Journal
- Frontiers in Neurology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 1b
- Population
- Adults with subjective tinnitus
- Intervention
- Penetrating needling (acupuncture)
- Comparator
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Primary outcomes
Clinical efficacy of penetrating needling vs. CBT for subjective tinnitus