Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Tinnitus Patients; [이명 환자 치료를 위한 경두개 자기 자극 프로토콜]

Abstract

Tinnitus, defined as the perception of sound without an external source, can be particularly distressing when persistent. Among various treatment approaches, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has gained attention as a non-invasive method for modulating maladaptive neuroplastic changes, specifically the hyperactivity and aberrant neural synchrony observed in the auditory cortex (AC) of patients with chronic tinnitus. This report outlines a practical rTMS protocol currently used in clinical settings for tinnitus management. The standard protocol consisted of 1 Hz stimulation at 100%–110% of the resting motor threshold (rMT), applied to the left or contralateral AC, delivering 1800–2000 pulses per session across 10 consecutive treatment days. In selected patients, adjunct excitatory stimulation was delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, especially in cases with comorbid affective symptoms. rTMS offers a safe, adaptable therapeutic option, particularly for patients with concurrent mood disturbances. Copyright © 2026 Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.