http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstra
ctPlus&list_uids=16951850&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

The treatment of tinnitus, which is defined as conscientious
perception of a sound originated in the ears or nervous system,
represents until the current days a great challenge. The use of
Acupuncture (ACP) is based on the stimulation with needles of specific
points on the human anatomy. A prospective, randomized and double-
blinded study was carried through in 76 patients taken care of in the
Clinic of Tinnitus of the Department of Otorhinolaringology and Head
and Neck Surgery of the UNIFESP-EPM in the period understood between
April and June of 2005. All the patients had humming complaint and had
been submitted to clinical anamnese, physical examination and
subsidiary exams in order to investigate its etiology. The patients
then were directed to a first researcher that determined an initial
numeric value of the humming through Visual Analoge Scale(VAS),
varying from 0 to 10 points. After this, had been directed for another
room in which an acupuncturist doctor, who did not have access to the
initial evaluation, separated the patients in Group Control and Group
Study according to the attendance order, in alternating way. The ACP
point used in patients of the Group Study places 6,5 cm above of the
apex of the auditory pavilion in the parietal region. The point used
in the Group Control places 3 cm above of the previous point, in the
same vertical line. Then they had been sent back to the initial room
for a new evaluation by the first researcher, where they had been
guided to redefine the subjective score of the humming. Among the 76
studied patients, 29 were male (38,2%) and 47 female (61,8%), with
average age 56,9 + 12,0 years. The Groups Study and Control had
counted on 38 patients each. Through the Anova test it was evidenced
that it had significant difference (p<0,001) between the moments pre
and post needling and that in the group Study this improvement is more
evident (p=0,0127). The t-independent test showed that it had a
significant difference (p=0,017) between the two moments in the groups
Study and Control. We conclude that there was significant reduction of
the counting of the moments pre and post needling in both the groups,
and in the group study the reduction is greater that in the group
control.

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If this study had been done in China, simple folks would have called
it Chairman Mao propaganda.  Since this was done in Portugal, many
simple folks just have to remain silent.