Though the results weren’t overwhelming, US researchers found that a substance often used by plastic surgeons to reduce wrinkles was helpful for some in reducing tinnitus,  according to a news story in Hear-it.org.

Botox, a nerve agent commonly used in cosmetic surgery, was found to be helpful for approximately one out of four patients tested in a clinical study. Scientific researchers from the California Ear Institute, San Ramon, CA, conducted  tests using Botox treatment for patients with tinnitus. Twenty-six participants received small Botox injections in their ears; seven reported improvements in tinnitus symptoms after 4 months, 16 reported no change, and three said their tinnitus had become worse.

The placebo part of the experiment confirmed the results of the Botox treatments. Some participants reported no change when they received Placebo injections, others said their tinnitus got worse. The scientists say that more research is needed to gain an understanding of the effect of Botox on tinnitus and how it might become part of future tinnitus treatment strategies.