What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a Cochrane Review of seven randomized controlled trials involving 392 participants to assess the benefits and harms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) and/or tinnitus.
What They Found
Pooled data from two trials did not demonstrate a significant improvement in the chance of a 50% increase in hearing threshold with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The review found no clear evidence of benefit for HBOT in treating idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus should be aware that current evidence does not strongly support hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an effective treatment. Patients should discuss all available treatment options and their evidence base with their healthcare providers to make informed decisions.
Canadian Relevance
This review did not include any Canadian studies or participants, so its direct Canadian relevance is limited.
Study Limitations
The main limitations of this review were that the included studies were small and generally of poor quality.