Hi Barry,
I’ve read about all kinds of relief for tinnitus but in your opinion what is best solution? I’ve had my ears tested and they were normal.
Desperate,
Mike R.
Dear Mike,
There is no one best treatment for tinnitus. It depends on what caused the tinnitus in the first place. There are many direct or contributing causes to tinnitus. Hearing loss is the #1 cause with about 90% of tinnitus being associated with it.
You say your ears were tested and they were normal. That doesn’t tell us anything and sounds like something someone told you. If a hearing test was performed, there is an audiogram that was generated. These are very specific and detail how much hearing loss a person has and whether it is caused by sensorineural hearing loss (nerve damage) or conductive hearing loss (sinus, allergies, colds, etc). Everyone has some degree of hearing loss so normal doesn’t really say much. You can see much more about this in our article on Hearing Loss. Please review the audiogram portion.
For sensorineural hearing loss, the greatest cause of this, Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown to have a 70-80% success rate in reducing the sound levels. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three-month supply because it takes that long to get the full benefit.
Other causes include prescription medications that are toxic to the ear (ototoxic), allergies and other sinus problems, insulin resistance and Diabetes, thyroid dysfunction. TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) dysfunction occurs when the lower jaw is out of alignment with the skull and is a very frequent cause of tinnitus.
I suggest the first thing to do is to have a complete physical checkup to see if there is any condition that could cause or contribute to your tinnitus. Then, based on that information, find a treatment that works for you. I will be happy to discuss this with you when you have more information.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
I’ve had tinnitus for years but it has flared up in the last couple months to a level that is sucking the joy out of life. Been to an ENT doctor that checked my ears, I have a high frequency hearing loss in one ear. basically she tells me to learn to live with it, trying acupuncture in about a month, taking Lipoflavonoids, not working… any suggestions?
Thank you,
Michael S.
Dear Michael,
Out of the options you mentioned I would try acupuncture. I’m told it can help about 40% of people with tinnitus. I doubt Lipoflavonoid will be helpful. While it is marketed now for tinnitus it was designed to help reduce dizziness in people with Meniere’s disease. It was never intended for ringing in the ears. If you look at the supplement facts on its label, it contains nothing more than small amounts of B vitamins and some bioflavonoids, which may be helpful for stress, but won’t reduce the noise.
Arches Tinnitus Formula (ATF) has been clinically proven to reduce tinnitus in the majority of people who have it. It is especially helpful for those who have tinnitus due to hearing loss, like you. Read the experience of a well-respected ENT doctor who uses ATF for his patients with hearing loss and tinnitus.
It takes up to three months to get the full benefit from Arches Tinnitus Formula. We recommend the Starter Kit, or a three-month supply. I would use this along with acupuncture to get the benefit of both.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
How did you psychologically handle the really rough times when your tinnitus was really bad? How did you “short circuit” the negative, fear thoughts and get back on track?
I didn’t get much sleep last night and I spent the entire day today trying to stay even with my own emotions. I tried relaxation techniques, affirmations, even prayer, but I feel powerless to help myself today. I don’t want to spiral down into a worse state. I feel like even God has abandoned me today. I know this is just a big pity party, but I wanted to get your take on what you used to do.
Also, I started the Tinnitus Formula a couple of days ago. I know it takes a while, but I’m sure it will work well for me.
Thank you,
Mary K.
Dear Mary,
Like you right now, my coping strategies were not all that great during the worst of my tinnitus. I reverted to using the benzodiazepine medication Valium to keep my anxiety down. It is quite addicting and should not be used continuously but it helped me when I needed it most. Here is my story of recovery and how I coped with tinnitus before Arches Tinnitus Formula lowered the sound level.
These days there are better interim therapies which can also be combined with Arches Tinnitus Formula. You may want to consult a psychologist and learn about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, visit with a Biofeedback specialist, or get some acupuncture treatment.
I hope this is helpful for you and Arches Tinnitus Formula will help reduce your tinnitus to a more manageable level.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry,
Is there anything that can be done to cure my ringing in my ears? It is worse at times than it is at other times.
Deanne
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
Barry,
I have Hashimoto’s disease, which attacks the thyroid, and was recently diagnosed. My 15 year old daughter has been suffering with severe tinnitus since she was 12. She also has anxiety attacks. I had thought the anxiety might be exacerbating the tinnitus or vice versa. But now am wondering if thyroid could be the underlying cause of all of this? Do you see this much in adolescent girls?
Thanks,
Peggy H.
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
Hi Barry,
I am due to go into hospital within the next two weeks for surgery on my foot. I have put it off twice because of the fear that general anesthetic and/or painkiller/antibiotics may cause my long standing tinnitus to get worse. I am at my wits end I desperately need the operation but am so scared of any worsening of my tinnitus. Have you any suggestions?
Thank you.
Kathy
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
Hi Barry,
My tinnitus is driving me crazy. Sometimes I notice that it changes pitch. Can your Tinnitus Formula help me?
Thank you,
Frances H.
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 Barry,
I have a severe case of tinnitus which began 15 months ago after a head injury when I hit my head while moving a large oak desk. I had many tests by a highly-regarded ENT specialist. Diagnosis was tinnitus is either being caused by the head trauma, whiplash injury or a combination of both. My tinnitus is somewhat odd. For about 11 months after the accident half of my days the tinnitus was soft while the other half it was jet plane loud 24/7.
Four months ago the tinnitus increased to where it became jet plane loud 80% of the days. I am currently on 1 mg. Clonazepam for anxiety and sleep. I’ve been on Xanax and did not have any trouble coming off of it. My Doc switched me to Clonazepam because it is longer acting. I’d like to get off of the Benzo and wanted to know if there are any problems associated with taking the Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit while still being on a Benzo?
As you know, the tinnitus causes a vicious cycle of insomnia and anxiety and after not being able to sleep for more than 3-4 hours without being awaken by the T, the lack of sleep is really your worst enemy. I’m looking for a more natural remedy. Perhaps your products can help.
Thank you,
Dave L.
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
Hi Barry,
Over the last two years I’ve had a sudden onset of tinnitus. I am 61. I’ve noticed that I’ve also become sensitive to Wi-Fi frequencies. Is there a relationship?
Thanks,
Rockne
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