Two cases of tinnitus that improved with the combined treatment of tinnitus and migraine

Abstract

Treatment for tinnitus includes educational counseling and sound therapy; however, there are some cases of treatment-resistant and refractory tinnitus. We herein report two cases of tinnitus concurrent with migraines, in which treating migraines alongside tinnitus led to improvements in both conditions. Case 1 was a 66-year-old woman with right-sided pulsatile tinnitus occurring paroxysmal for approximately 15 min concurrently with migraine. Treating migraines led to the disappearance of both pulsatile tinnitus and migraines. Case 2 was a 41-year-old man with right-sided persistent tinnitus caused by conductive hearing loss. Previous attempts at sound therapy during tinnitus exacerbation had resulted in the simultaneous worsening of tinnitus, migraines, and sound sensitivity, preventing successful sound therapy. Treating the migraines alongside sound therapy using a hearing aid on the right side led to migraine and tinnitus improvement. In cases of refractory tinnitus that are concurrent with migraine, migraine treatment is considered a viable option for improving tinnitus symptoms.