DENS-THERAPY APPLICATION IN TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PERCEPTIVE DEAFNESS
Barsukov A.F, Gryzunov V.V.
Saint-Petersburg Medical Academy by Mechnikov I.I.,
Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnic University,
Saint-Petersburg , Russia
Perceptive deafness extension among able-bodied population, high risk of becoming disabled provided that receiving continuous care require new methods of therapy search, that is rather urgent and important medical and social goal. Comparison of dynamic of clinical manifestations in patients with chronic perceptive deafness (CPD) during traditional drug treatment as well as dynamic electroneurostimulation application (DENS) was a purpose of the present research.
Two representative groups of patients were formed for that purpose: basic group consisted out of 32 patients with bilateral CPD in the age range from 42 to 61 years old, and control group included 26 patients with CPD of similar age and sex. All the patients underwent pure threshold and superthreshold tone audiometry as well as subjective tinnitus estimation (ST) by means of standard audiologic methods besides the general examination and auditory analyzer examination.
DENS-therapy was performed with the help of portable apparatus which has transcutaneous, low-frequency, short-impulse, high-amplitude, noninvasive effect on biologically active zones and acupuncture points. By indications patients of the main group underwent DENS course in a constant mode and at a comfortable energy level depending on ST intensity and subject to corresponding diseases along with traditional drug therapy. An application was performed in the zone of frontal complaint projection (ear and parotid zones), central back line and paravertebral lines, in the zone of “cervical annulus” and cervical-collar zone. Average session length was 30 minutes, course treatment duration was 8 to 12 days. Patients of the control group received only traditional drug treatment.
Analyzing the results of the treatment that was performed it is possible to assume that 11 (42.2%) patients of the control group with CPD demonstrated hearing improvement on 10 dB in average in 250-8000 Hz frequency range; 8 (31%) patients demonstrated abatement of ST or its disappearance. At the same time, positive effect was registered approximately in half of the patients (50.3%) of the basic group with CPD after the DENS course accomplishing combined with drug treatment. For them hearing improvement made up approximately 15-20 dB in the researched frequency range; 19 (59.6%) patients demonstrated abatement of ST or its disappearance.
Thus, a combination of DENS with drug treatment for patients with perceptive deafness significantly improves results of the complex impact on a patient.