Cervical epidural steroid injection for refractory somatic tinnitus.

Somatic tinnitus is a common disorder, yet few treatments described in the literature have demonstrated strong efficacy. We report a case of a 61-year-old male with refractory somatic tinnitus, temporally related to a prior bacterial otitis media, wherein auditory symptoms were successfully treated with cervical epidural injections of long-acting corticosteroid. We discuss the proposed mechanism of somatic tinnitus and the means by which neuraxial steroids may inhibit somatic tinnitus symptoms.