Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1) first-onset SSNHL; 2) unilateral hearing loss; 3) a time between onset and treatment ≤ 60 days; 3) ipsilateral newly developed tinnitus associated with SSNHL; 4) normal hearing or age-related hearing loss in the contralateral ear. No restrictions on gender and age were set.
Exclusion criteria: 1) recurrent sudden deafness, pregnancy, or middle ear infections; 2) a definitive cause of deafness identified during treatment; 2) a history of tinnitus; 3) bilateral tinnitus; 4) no treatment according to the Chinese Guidelines for Sudden Deafness during the inpatient process for any reason (17).