Hi Barry,
I’ve recently had an encounter with tinnitus, and all I do recall is taking ibuprofen and aspirin one night, and I woke up with this loud ring in my ear. I’ve tried everything, and I have a chemistry background, so I came across the effects of NAC, regarding tinnitus. What I found impressive is that NAC has a negative charge, which makes a good host for the body in order to absorb toxins. I begin taking my first dosage of NAC today about 500mg.
So far, I can’t tell much, but it does appear the ringing in my right ear is beginning to change. I would like to know more about the symptoms of tinnitus, and what other remedies are available to help fight against the effects that it brings.
Thank you!
Byron W.
Dear Byron,
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) is very healthy to take for many reasons. It is a powerful anti-oxidant and it helps protect ears from ototoxic medications, of which ibuprofen is one. You cannot take too much as there are no side effects from using it. I have been taking NAC for years. I take 1,200 mg daily. It works best at prevention of damage to hearing rather than in response to damage but it can still be helpful.
NAC can complement the work of Arches Tinnitus Formula, which has been scientifically proven to reduce tinnitus for the great majority of those who use it. It is especially helpful for those with hearing loss-induced tinnitus. This can occur from exposure to noise and loud sound over time and also those who have lost hearing due to ototoxic medications. It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so I recommend Arches Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
I was in the Army field artillery during the war. Exposed to constant and continuous acoustic trauma of artillery firing, I have both severe hearing loss and severe tinnitus. All the VA can do for me is to give me hearing aids, which do not help the tinnitus. Can your product actually reduce this loud screaming noise in both of my ears? What if it does not reduce the noise level, then what?
Harry A.
Dear Harry,
Arches Tinnitus Formula works best for people like you who have noise-induced tinnitus. A prominent Manhattan ear doctor, Darius Kohan, MD, states that when he recommends Arches to those who have hearing loss and tinnitus, he has a 75% to 80% success rate in reducing tinnitus sound levels. The amount of reduction can vary but its not uncommon to have a 50% reduction or more.
It can take up to three months (four bottles) to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles at a reduced price.
In the event Arches Tinnitus Formula is not helpful, or if you want to combine it with other therapies, there are several that have been shown to also be helpful. These include biofeedback, acupuncture, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. All these articles can be found in our Tinnitus Library. There is also Search link in the upper right-hand corner where you can look for these and other therapies.
I hope this is helpful and you can reduce the loud sounds you are hearing.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hello Barry,
My tinnitus increased when stress in my life increased. If I tilt my head to the right or the left, the tinnitus heard in the ear on that side increases. The more stress also the more the tinnitus increases. Could a muscle relaxer possibly help reduce the tinnitus?
Sandra J.
Dear Sandra,
Yes, stress is a major aggravator of tinnitus. It can take a level 3 tinnitus (on a scale of 10) and turn it into a level 7-8. It is very important to learn how to control stress in order to minimize tinnitus.
Michael Seidman, MD is one of the foremost tinnitus authorities in the US and uses a number of therapies with his patients and has a high overall success rate in reducing the anxiety and loudness of tinnitus. One of the treatments he sometimes uses includes Baclofen, a muscle relaxer. Baclofen has significant side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, headache, insomnia and nausea. Dr. Seidman combines this with Klonopin at bedtime. Dr. Seidman has had some success with this treatment protocol. However, he only uses it on those patients who who have not responded to other treatments and who have a tinnitus that has significantly reduced their quality of life.
I prefer therapies like biofeedback and hypnotherapy to reduce stress. Biofeedback, in particular, trains the person to be able to control autonomous body functions such as stress levels, skin temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. There are no side effects and there are biofeedback facilities in every major city in the US.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Barry,
I have hyperacusis causing me to be very sensitive to noise. Is there a noise cancellation option (other than musician ear plugs) to aid with sound reduction so I can tolerate dental work drilling?
Thank you,
Heidi G.
Dear Heidi,
Hyperacusis or extreme sensitivity to sound can be a very thorny issue. Unfortunately, no noise cancellation technique, including ear plugs, will help dampen drills used in dental work. The sound is directly transmitted to the ear through bone conduction, which nothing can stop. The correct way to ensure hearing safety is to ask the dentist to take breaks every five seconds or so. The hair cells in the cochlea will be stressed by the drilling but not killed. They will have a chance to recuperate during the breaks. Please see our article Dental Work, Tinnitus and You.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
Can tinnitus cause Parkinson’s disease? My husband has been treated for tinnitus for the last seven years and has hearing aids, but still gets tinnitus bad. Now he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Thank you,
Teresa S.
Dear Teresa,
Tinnitus does not cause Parkinson’s disease but they may be related. Excess glutamate in the auditory pathway causes glutamate excitotoxicity, which leads to tinnitus and other neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s. This relationship is outlined in our article Tinnitus: The Basics.
Also, several years ago researchers were experimenting with implanted brain electrodes to control serious Parkinson’s symptoms. They found they could reduce the spasms of Parkinson’s and those patients who also had tinnitus experienced relief from the ringing sound. So the areas of the brain affected by both are very close together.
To date, there has been no causative relationship proven between the two conditions but treating one can often positively affect the other.
Arches Tinnitus Formula contains Ginkgo Max 26/7®, our trademarked ginkgo extract. This proprietary extract is high in bilobalide, a glutamate antagonist, so important for the reduction of tinnitus noise. It might be helpful for your husband’s tinnitus and may help reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. It should be used along with any medication prescribed by his neurologist.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hello Barry,
I’m 76 years old and have suffered with severe tinnitus, mostly in left ear, for about six years and cannot tolerate it any longer. I am on Valsartan for hypertension and afraid my tinnitus is going to cause me to die in my sleep because it keeps me from peaceful sleep.
Is there any hope of quieting my tinnitus or at least lessening it? Would psychotherapy help me tolerate the horrible sound?
Please help me if you can!!!!
Bobbi C.
Dear Bobbi,
I’m sorry this is so disturbing to you. I checked on Valsartan and it doesn’t cause or worsen tinnitus. You won’t die in your sleep because of this but I understand how your difficulty sleeping just adds to the burden.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be helpful with tinnitus. This is practiced by psychologists and is not designed to reduce tinnitus loudness but to reduce the aggravation and distress of tinnitus.
Arches Tinnitus Formula has been scientifically proven to reduce tinnitus for the great majority of those who use it. It is especially helpful for those with hearing loss-induced tinnitus. This can occur from exposure to noise and loud sound over time and also those who have lost hearing due to ototoxic medications. Arches will work well with CBT to help reduce the sound level as well as the distress.
It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Starter Kit, a 100 day supply of four bottles. A high potency sustained release melatonin, may also prove helpful in getting to sleep without the side effects of prescription sleep aids.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
I have a question regarding the natural sweeteners stevia and erythritol: Where do they fit in as to being healthy or not healthy? Does either act like a carcinogen? Is it really true when they say zero calories, zero carbohydrates, zero sugars, zero fat? Is all of that truth or fiction?
Thanks,
Matthew L.
Dear Matthew,
Many of the mainstream artificial sweeteners (Equal, Splenda etc.) are known to exacerbate tinnitus and generally be bad for one’s health.
Stevia however is an excellent choice. It is from a natural plant in South America and is much sweeter than sugar so less is used. Stevia is very healthy to use.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol. It is less sweet than sugar and is not completely calorie-free. It is not completely absorbed by the body so can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea if too much is taken. Erythritol actually has 0.24 calories per gram, with only 6% of the calories of sugar, it still has 70% of the sweetness.
Stevia has zero calories and sugars.
Neither of these is carcinogenic. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose are carcinogenic and have many other side effects. These should be studiously avoided.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
My husband has a severe form of tinnitus for seven years and can barely function. Other than benzodiazepine what are the latest meds that seem to have some relief? I read that Lamictal can cause tinnitus so I’m leery about anti-convulsives, unless others act differently in the brain and are safe.
Thanks,
Janice K.
Dear Janice,
There are no drugs that will help tinnitus in the long term. Benzodiazepines are used by many people and they help. But, they are addicting and cause a host of other problems. The dosage needs to be increased over time, and the problems they were taken for in the beginning are often worsened over long-term use. Anti-convulsives also have many serious side effects and can worsen tinnitus.
Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown in scientific studies to reduce tinnitus loudness for the great majority of people who use it. It is especially helpful for those who have tinnitus caused by hearing loss, about 85% of people with tinnitus. One Manhattan ear doctor states that among his patients with hearing loss and tinnitus, 75% to 80% have a significant reduction in the sound level.
As with all dietary supplements used for specific conditions, it can take at least three months to get the full benefit. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles. You can buy these individually but the Starter Kit is offered at a significant discount over single bottle pricing, there is a large savings in shipping costs, and you won’t accidentally run out during the critical three-month period.
I hope this is helpful for you.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hello Barry,
I can see the medical value of your tinnitus formula, but my boyfriend is all “mainstream” and discounts your website. He asked, “How come the medical community does not know about this?” How can I help him understand? What would you say to him to win his confidence?
Thank you,
Cheryl W.
Dear Cheryl,
There are people in the medical community who do know this. You must keep in mind that most ENT doctors are surgeons. That’s how they make their money so that’s what they concentrate on. Many are not well versed in alternative treatments. There are, however, a continuing and growing number of ENTs and other physicians who refer their patients to Arches Tinnitus Formulas based on clinical evidence.
The German Commission E is similar to our FDA and is a German government agency. Their charter is to review herbs and minerals for therapeutic effects and recommend them based on their findings. They recommend Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus.
Also, here is an article which cites clinical studies conducted on Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus. It clearly shows it is helpful in reducing tinnitus sound levels.
Finally, here’s a clinical study on the use of zinc for tinnitus. Ginkgo biloba and zinc are the two most active ingredients in Arches Tinnitus Formula.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
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