Objective:

To explore short- and long-term (6-month) symptom changes following standardized combined acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping therapy in patients with primary tinnitus, and to analyze factors associated with treatment response.

Approach:

• Study Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study enrolling 140 patients with primary tinnitus who received combined therapy and completed 6-month follow-up.
• Outcomes: Primary outcome: ≥30% reduction in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score; Secondary outcome: ≥1-grade reduction in THI severity grade.
• Statistical Analysis: Univariate screening followed by binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with treatment response.

Key Findings:

• Primary response rate was 57.1% (80/140) at treatment completion and increased to 81.4% (114/140) at 6-month follow-up.
• Secondary response rate rose from 63.6% (89/140) post-treatment to 82.9% (116/140) at follow-up.
• Younger age (OR = 0.577, P = 0.028) and higher baseline THI grade (OR = 1.662, P = 0.008) were associated with short-term response, but not in sensitivity analyses excluding acute tinnitus cases.
• For long-term changes, both age (OR = 0.326, P = 0.003) and baseline THI grade (OR = 2.699, P = 0.001) were significantly associated with response.

Interpretation:

Limitations:

• Single-center study may limit generalizability.
• Retrospective design may introduce bias.

Conclusion:

Combined acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping therapy resulted in reductions in tinnitus handicap over 6 months, with factors influencing treatment response varying by timepoint.