Ask Barry Questions on Tinnitus

Dear Deanne,

There is no cure for tinnitus, especially from tinnitus caused by noise exposure and hearing loss. This is far and away the primary cause of tinnitus. However, there are many management methods that can help reduce the ringing. Reduction of salt intake is a big one. A related method is reduction in fast food and packaged food consumption. These products are where about 80% of the salt in the American diet comes from. It is used as a preservative.

Other techniques include stress reduction, acupuncture, biofeedback, diet modifications and others. You can search for any of these in our Tinnitus Library where we have over 150 articles on everything related to tinnitus.

Our primary product is Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7® has been clinically proven to reduce tinnitus sounds for most people who use it. It was specifically developed for those who have tinnitus due to noise exposure and hearing loss, the leading cause of tinnitus.

We recommend trying Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit,  (4 bottles=100 days) in order to determine total effectiveness, which also saves you $30 off individual  bottle pricing plus free shipping.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Peggy,

I don’t know how often thyroid problems hit teenagers but I do know it is responsible for many tinnitus cases. Hypothyroidism is directly linked to tinnitus and, when the thyroid is treated, tinnitus reduces or disappears.

Stress and anxiety are the number one aggravator of existing tinnitus. Stress will take a level 2 or 3 tinnitus (on a scale of 10) and turn it into a 7 or 8 overnight. You must treat your daughter’s anxiety. There are numerous ways to do this.

Back to hypothyroid. Your doctor will need to evaluate whether this is a problem for your daughter.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Kathy,

I do have some suggestions. I’m not an expert on antibiotics and suggest you discuss with your doctor using one that is not ototoxic. Most antibiotics can be safely used these days.

I have found that the newer anesthetic, Propofol, can worsen tinnitus. It did once to mine and lasted for some time. I suggest you clearly state to your surgeon that you want to use the older anesthetics. All surgeons have these readily available. They like the newer one because patients wake up faster but, other than that, there is no good reason why they would object to using the older ones.

Opioid painkillers should not be a problem. The problem may arise with what the opioid is mixed with. I cannot take Ibuprofen without it increasing my tinnitus so I generally ask for a generic for Norco. I think it’s also referred to as Lortab. This consists of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, which is Tylenol.

Finally, I recommend taking N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) before, during and after your surgery. This is an inexpensive antioxidant that can be found in health food stores. Take about 1,000 mg twice daily. This will help prevent damage to your ears. Start taking it right away. There are no side effects from this and it is very healthy to take.

Arches Tinnitus Formula can also help protect against ototoxic medications. I would advise you to take this but you cannot use it right before surgery because it is a blood thinner. You don’t want to thin the blood during surgery. You can start using it shortly after the surgery, after the bleeding stops.

I hope this is helpful for you. I’m sure you will be fine if you follow these suggestions.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Frances,

I cannot honestly answer that because I don’t know what caused your tinnitus. Most tinnitus is due to hearing loss and our product is very good for that. Hearing loss involves damage to the hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear.

But there are many other causes of tinnitus for which our product is not very helpful. These include Temporo-Mandibular Joint dysfunction (TMJ), hardening of the bones inside the middle ear (otosclerosis), upper neck problems, low thyroid hormone (hypothyroid), sinus congestion, and others. Your mention of the pitch changing is possibly indicative of another condition causing the tinnitus.

I recommend you get a complete physical check-up to look for conditions that could cause this. Also see an Ear, Nose & Throat physician (ENT) who can administer a hearing test. This test will tell whether your tinnitus is due to hearing loss or another cause.

If it is due to hearing loss, Arches Tinnitus Formula has about an 80% success rate in reducing the sound level and managing tinnitus. Please come back to us at that time and we can send some of our product to you.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Hello David,

I’m very sorry this happened to you. Head injuries and whiplash are a common cause of tinnitus. Tinnitus onset can be delayed by years due to slow deterioration of the tissues.

You can certainly take Arches Tinnitus Formula while also taking a benzodiazepine. You seem to be aware of the possible consequences of benzo medications; addiction, needing an increased dosage, and many potential side effects while withdrawing. A dosage of 1 mg Clonazepam is quite low and hopefully you can keep it there or lower.

While both head injuries and whiplash can cause tinnitus, the mechanisms of action differ. Head injuries lead to damaged neurons while whiplash causes damage to the nerve bundles that start in the upper cervical spine area. The link directly above will take you to part one of an article about these conditions. There is a link to part two at the end of the first article. Please read both.

There is pretty good evidence that chiropractic manipulation can be helpful for those with tinnitus and vertigo caused by whiplash. While I have historically been skeptical of this treatment method, the evidence is mounting as to its effectiveness. The trick is to find a chiropractor trained in upper cervical issues. Only about 2% of chiropractors are trained in this.

Arches Tinnitus Formula should be helpful for you whatever the basic cause of your tinnitus. I suggest the Starter Kit, four bottles of the Tinnitus Formula to determine total efficacy. The product helps repair damaged nerves, reduces hyper excitability in neurons and increase blood flow, thereby flooding structures with nourishment and energy.

I hope our Starter Kit is very helpful for you. Please let me know.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Rockne,

This is a unique and interesting question; thanks for sending it in.

There is a major controversy over whether or not some people are sensitive to radio and Wi-Fi frequencies and develop symptoms from the radiation. The condition is referred to as Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Hypersensitivity. Symptoms include, but are not limited to; tinnitus, insomnia, vertigo, cognitive impairment, loss of memory and concentration and cardiac effects such as arrhythmia and tachycardia. Tinnitus is reported by the majority of self-described sensitive people.

Some systematic reviews of studies show participants claim to suffer from EMF Hypersensitivity but are not able to distinguish between when electromagnetic radiation is present and when it is not. Numerous individual clinical studies differ completely and document that people are able to distinguish radiation presence and symptoms can be turned on and off by the radiation.

I am skeptical of some systematic reviews. They do not allow the investigator insight into the methods used in individual studies and these methods differ significantly. If these studies are conducted in hospitals or clinics, the presence of electromagnetic radiation is surely universal. Hospital equipment abounds with devices radiating radio frequencies. Everything from electrical equipment, electrical wiring, video monitors, all emit these frequencies. How then are people who suffer from EMF Hypersensitivity to distinguish between background radiation and that used in the trial. We simply don’t know. Studies of this nature need to be conducted far away from any contamination from radiation.

I personally believe there is enough evidence to support the fact that there are people sensitive to this radiation and they need to avoid it whenever possible. If you believe you are sensitive try turning off TVs, receivers and monitors when not in use, changing the home Wi-Fi system to wired Ethernet, not engaging anything with Bluetooth connectivity, not using a microwave oven, and using the speakerphone on your cell rather than holding it up to your ear. Studies indicate that symptoms should disappear as the electromagnetic radiation is reduced or eliminated.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Tina,

Thanks for asking this question. It is very important but not well understood by many people.

Ginkgo biloba refers to the leaves of the Ginkgo tree, an ancient tree that is unrelated to other plant species on the planet. It was used medicinally in ancient times by the Chinese. In more recent times it has been studied carefully in Germany, where many beneficial effects from its use are recognized.

The Dr. Willmar Schwabe Company in Germany standardized and tested Ginkgo biloba extract in the 1960’s. They dried and crushed the leaves, soaked them in acetone and water, and purified the results. The soaking drew out the active ingredients in the leaf and left behind inactive ingredients, fiber and so forth. Only the oils were removed.

They then standardized this to a minimum of 24% ginkgo flavone glycosides. But there are other ingredients that were standardized also. Terpene lactones are very important to its pharmacological properties along with individual components of the flavone glycosides and terpene lactones. The result was a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba that has been used for the last 50 years in experimentation and treatment of various conditions.

So in your product, there is 24% flavone glycosides and you have a 60 mg capsule or tablet. Twenty four percent of 60 mg is the 14.4 mg in parenthesis. If you had 120 mg of the extract there would be double that amount, or 28.8 mg. Likewise terpene lactones were standardized to a minimum of 6% so there is 3.6 mg terpene lactones in your 60 mg capsule or tablet (6% x 60 mg).

The German Commission E is the German equivalent of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They studied the extract for a number of years and published a “monograph”, or treatise, on the subject. Ginkgo biloba extract is used in Germany for a number of conditions, including tinnitus. Please see the Commission E Monograph on Tinnitus.

We at Arches have developed a higher purity, more concentrated extract of Ginkgo biloba that is specifically designed for people with tinnitus. We have trademarked it as Ginkgo Max 26/7® (found in Arches Tinnitus Formula) to indicate the higher over  the standard of 24/6.

I hope this is helpful and answers your question.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jeanmarie,

I’m very sorry about this but I cannot diagnose from an email. Is the doctor you refer to an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor? If not, I suggest you see one. They can help determine what exactly is wrong. One way they do this is through an audiogram, performed by an Audiologist. An audiogram can determine if you have conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. The difference determines what kind of treatment you will have.

All of the medications you mention have the possibility of causing or worsening tinnitus. However, they are not the ones that are notorious for doing so. I’ve been taking Atenolol for about 10 years with no problem.  Nor is tinnitus a listed side effect of Wellbutrin.

Your consistent tinnitus may be the result of hearing loss which is the largest contributor to tinnitus of all causes. However, other medical conditions may also cause it. Among women, thyroid conditions, especially hypothyroid, are common causes. You should have a complete physical exam by a General Practitioner to rule out a medical condition causing it. Please see our tinnitus infographic on possible causes.

The humming sound that changes frequencies is somewhat more difficult to evaluate. Generally, when tinnitus changes during the day, it is due to signals from the body that become entangled with auditory signals and change tinnitus. This is called somatic tinnitus. If the cause of the somatic signals can be determined, it can usually be treated successfully.

If your consistent tinnitus is caused by hearing loss, Arches Tinnitus Formula can be helpful. It has been clinically shown to reduce tinnitus in the great majority of people who take it, especially those with tinnitus due to hearing loss or noise exposure. It can take up to three months to be fully effective so I recommend the Tinnitus Starter Kit, which is a three-month supply

I hope this is helpful and you can find a way to reduce the sound level.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Hi Dolby,

Yes, I remember standing in front of giant speakers listening to Iron Butterfly play IN A GADDA DA VIDA. It gave me tinnitus too. I’ve had it ever since about 1970 and it has presented problems in my life. I hope you have developed some coping mechanisms for yours.

An Ear, Nose & Throat physician will normally order an MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma. These are rare, slow growing, non-malignant growths that can, if left untreated, affect hearing, balance and the facial nerve. The ENT may order one of these the very first time you consult with one. I have never had an MRI. If you do get one, make sure you bring good hearing protection as they are pretty loud. An ENT will be able to provide this, along with other valuable information such as an audiogram and other tests.

A poor diet can affect tinnitus significantly. Salt is enemy #1. It constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure and reduces blood flow and will always worsen tinnitus for a period of time. Food additives like MSG and aspartame and other flavor enhancers should also be avoided as much as possible. Our article on Diet and Tinnitus  may also be helpful to you.

My salvation was in discovering Arches Tinnitus Formula. This has been clinically proven to reduce tinnitus for most people, especially those who have it due to hearing loss and/or noise exposure. You are a great candidate for this. It has reduced my tinnitus by about 2/3 and I have been using it for a little over 20 years. It takes up to three months to get the full effect so I recommend the Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three-month supply.

I hope this is helpful.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate