| Do
you have questions about tinnitus, our products
or specific treatments? Ask Barry. Arches President
Barry Keate will select the most representative
questions each month publication. Regardless all
questions will receive a personal reply from Barry.
 ASK
BARRY
Barry
Keate answers your questions
about Tinnitus
Send a Question to ASK
BARRY
NOTE: Ask Barry is pleased to be able
to answer your questions based upon the information
we have available. Our
answers to your email inquiries are not substitutes
for a physician's advice nor are they reviewed by
a physician. If you are under a physician's care,
please share with your doctor any suggestions you
have received from Ask Barry.
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This
month's questions:
Fear
of Flying
HI Barry
I enjoy reading your tinnitus website. It is wonderful.
You are doing a great job. I do have a question
in regards to flying. My husband and I are flying
to England on August. 7th for 2 weeks and I have
never flown before ..It is about a 8 hour flight
and I am praying that my ears are going to be ok.
I have chronic tinnitus in both my ears 24/7. Will
the flying make the tinnitus worse. A lot of people
tell me that when you land you cant hear for a week?
I don't know if this is true?
I
am terrified. Could you please shed some light on
this subject for me. Thank You Barry.
Sincerely,
Bev
Dear
Bev,
Please don’t be terrified; it’s going
to be fine. I have never heard of anyone who couldn’t
hear upon landing.
There
are some precautions you can take to make flying
more comfortable. Sometimes, but only rarely, the
loud sounds at take-off can bother tinnitus. Jet
engine sounds are low frequency and most people’s
tinnitus is high frequency so there is no overlap
for most people. During take-off is when the jets
are loudest. This can be solved by using some inexpensive
foam ear plugs that can be found in most grocery
stores. If you want superior ear plugs, I recommend
Mack’s Ear Plugs at http://www.macksearplugs.com/.
They make a soft foam ear plug that is just right
for flying. You probably will not need them during
the flight or while landing but if you do, you can
wear them the whole flight; they’re very comfortable.
The
other thing to make sure of is that your ears pop
easily. Ears pop due to pressure changes because
they need to keep internal and external pressure
equal. Take along some chewing gum to ensure your
ears pop easily. Swallowing and drinking a beverage
is also helpful. You can pinch your nostrils together
and blow gently, with your mouth closed, to force
your ears to pop if needed. There probably won’t
be a problem with this but if there is, it will
be during landing when pressure increases.
Stay
awake during landing; ears don’t pop easily
when we sleep. It is best to fly when you don’t
have a head cold as a cold can plug up your Eustachian
tubes and prevent ears from popping. If you do have
a cold, use a nasal decongestant before and during
the flight which will clear the Eustachian tubes.
You can either use an over-the-counter brand or
ask your doctor for a prescription nasal spray such
as Flonase or Rhinocort. An over-the-counter antihistamine,
such as Benadryl, may also be helpful in allowing
your ears to pop easily and equalize pressure.
In
a small number of people, noise or pressure changes
can elevate their tinnitus. This is always temporary
and will revert back to normal over a short period
of time. By taking the above precautions, the chances
of this are minimized.
Have
a good flight and a wonderful time in England,
Wishing
you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Stress,
High Blood Pressure and Glutamate
Hi Barry,
My tinnitus has gotten noticeably worse today. I
don't know if it is high blood pressure or what.
I am an attorney and I have under incredible stress
lately with a very heavy case load and critical
deadlines. It was so bad that I googled "tinnitus
blood pressure" and found your site. It had
a very good article about the use of magnesium and
calcium as an effective glutamate inhibitor. I am
going across the street to CVS and get some right
now because it is really starting to bother me.
I have the type that is a high frequency steady
tone. I always suspected it was a neurotransmitter
thing, but never knew about glutamate until now.
Is
your Arches Tinnitus Relief Formula the best one
for me under the circumstances? I already take massive
doses of B-12, B-complex, and Niacin, but they do
not do the trick. I also take ginkgo biloba on a
rumor that it helps tinnitus, but it doesn't help
much.
I
also have adult ADD, so in the past year my doctor
has increased me from one to two SR20 generic ritalin,
which in and of itself artificially increases my
heart rate, blood pressure, etc., in exchange for
a bit more efficiency and functionality. Have there
been any studies on that.
So
what do you think, getting my life story in 2 minutes?
Anything you would recommend?
Thanks,
Beach C.
Dear
Beach,
Yes, glutamate is the primary villain in most people’s
tinnitus. When there is damage to the cochlea, excessive
amounts are released and neurotransmitters in the
brain are tipped toward the overexcited state. This
can cause tinnitus as well as other neurodegenerative
conditions. There are many glutamate antagonists
and I will get into them in a minute.
First
I would like to emphasize that stress and high blood
pressure make an enormous difference in the perception
of tinnitus. Stress will take a level 3 tinnitus
(on a scale of 10) and turn it into a level 7 or
above. It is very important to learn how to control
your response to stress. Everyone has stress but
how we respond to it is important. Exercise, diet
and weight loss for overweight people will make
a big difference. Please review some of the other
articles we have published in our Tinnitus
Information section. You will find articles
on diet, food additives, antioxidants, sugar metabolism
and exercise that should be very helpful.
Magnesium,
as you read, is a glutamate antagonist. Ginkgo biloba
extract is a powerful glutamate antagonist as well.
Ginkgo has many benefits including neuroprotection,
glutamate antagonism, antioxidant activity and increased
blood flow in the microcapillaries that feed the
eyes, ears and brain. You mention you have been
using ginkgo to no effect. We hear that quite a
lot and generally it has to do with inferior products
used in less than therapeutic doses. The Ginkgo
biloba used in Arches Tinnitus Relief Formula is
the highest quality, premium extract found anywhere
in the world. It should be taken in a dosage of
240 mg in the morning and again in the evening and
continued for a minimum of three months before you
can determine how effective it will be for you.
It does not help everyone but many people have a
reduction in sound. We published an article about
the science behind the product that describes exactly
how it works. This article can be viewed
here.
Some
prescription medications are helpful for tinnitus.
Neurontin works by activating GABA, which balances
out the excess glutamate. Campral is a medication
that has been used to help alcoholics wean themselves
from their addiction. It is a glutamate antagonist
and shows promise in helping people with tinnitus.
The benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and Klonopin,
also activate GABA and can have a positive effect.
Ritalin
is a stimulant and can increase blood pressure and
stress. It does not cause tinnitus but the side
effects can possibly worsen it. There are natural
therapies which are very effective in reducing ADD
and ADHD. Magnesium (interestingly) and Omega-3
fatty acids are two of the most often recommended.
Tinnitus authority Michael Seidman, MD has developed
an excellent essential
oils fatty acids product that we sell on our
website.
For
a complete review of ADHD I recommend the Life Extension
Foundation at www.lef.org. Search for ADHD and you
will find a wealth of information.
A
combination of Arches Tinnitus Relief Formula, a
good diet consisting of whole, fresh foods, regular
exercise and stress reduction will have a beneficial
effect on tinnitus for the great majority of people
suffering from this malady.
I
hope this is helpful for you.
Wishing
you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Ginkgo,
B vitamins and tinnitus
Barry
I am continuing to use your products and am in the
7th week with the Tinnitus Formula and B-12.
I
have two questions:
1. Should the B-12 be balanced with other B Vitamins
so there is no imbalance?
2. In the research that I have read on Ginkgo Biloba
several clinical studies used "a highly concentrated
and stable extract (EGb 761) by a company owned
by Dr. Willmar Schwabe, which could be systematically
tested in scientific programs".
Is
the Gingko that is used in the Arches Tinnitus Formula
the same as, or equivalent to, EGb 761? Thanks
as always for answering my questions.
Regards,
Raymond Schneider
Cape Coral, Florida
Dear
Raymond;
B vitamins are always more effective when used as
a complete group. The problem is not an imbalance
as much as they work synergistically and reinforce
each other. We separate the B-12 from the rest of
the B vitamins in the Tinnitus Stress Formula because
of absorption problems. B-12 is not easily absorbed
through the stomach or intestines. It is best absorbed
as an injection but also absorbed well as a sublingual,
dissolved under the tongue.
EGb
761 is a trademark name used by the Dr. Willmar
Schwabe Company of Germany. It defines minimum percentages
of specific components in Ginkgo biloba that are
necessary for therapeutic effect. Our ginkgo surpasses
the requirements of EGb 761. In fact, the Dr. Willmar
Schwabe Company purchased the company that grows
and processes the ginkgo used in Arches Tinnitus
Relief Formula. So our product comes from the same
company.
Wishing
you quiet times,
Barry Keate
NOTE:
"Ask Barry" is pleased to be able to answer
your questions based upon the information we have
available. Our answers to your email inquiries are
not substitutes for a physician's advice nor are
they reviewed by a physician. If you are under a
physician's care, please share with your doctor
any suggestions you have received from Ask Barry.
|