June 2019 Ask Barry

Dear Martha,

I don’t know if it will help but it may. I have looked into the Levo System by Otoharmonics pretty deeply and I have some concerns. The Levo System is a device that matches a patient’s tinnitus, then feeds it back during sleep. It uses specially molded earbuds to duplicate the tinnitus sound and is only offered through licensed providers, like Audiologists.

One of my concerns is that it duplicates exactly the tinnitus sound, then replays it during sleep. Other sound therapies designed for tinnitus take out the tinnitus sound and generate everything but the tinnitus. This is called notched sound therapy and has been available for several years. By taking out the tinnitus sound, they stimulate surrounding neurons, at different frequencies, in an attempt to change the neuronal balance and reduce or eliminate tinnitus. I’m not sure how generating the exact tinnitus sound and playing it back would be helpful.

There has been only one clinical trial conducted on the Levo System and that was funded by the company. It was designed to compare the Levo System with a Bedside Sound Generator and another Levo System with random sound. The scores on the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) came out a little better for the Levo System.

There was no follow-up to determine how long the positive effects may last. The trial lasted three months and the last time the providers communicated with the participants was at the end of the trial.

My third concern is with pricing. You cannot find a price for this without contacting the company who will refer you to a provider. Although in a review of their system, user comments (below the review) stated they paid $4500-$5000.

If you try this system, I will appreciate some feedback about how well it reduced your tinnitus. In the meantime, Arches Tinnitus Formula costs a fraction of the Levo System and is effective for 75% to 80% of those who have hearing loss-related tinnitus, which is the great majority of patients.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Gary,

There are many potential causes of tinnitus. The most common one is hearing loss due to age, noise exposure, toxic medications or explosive event. This accounts for up to 85% of all tinnitus cases. It is called sensorineural hearing loss and, unfortunately, there is no cure for this type of tinnitus. It is due to nerve damage in the cochlea,

There are also other causes of tinnitus. Some of these may be disease conditions, while others relate to TMJ dysfunction, bruxism, or pinched nerves in the upper neck. These can be treated and the tinnitus can be greatly reduced or cured.

For the great majority of people with tinnitus there is no cure. There are several treatments which can reduce the annoyance and anxiety of tinnitus or reduce the tinnitus sound level. These treatments are available from a variety of therapists and include biofeedback, mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and some sound therapies. Articles on other therapies can be found in our Tinnitus Library as well.

For most people who have hearing loss-induced tinnitus, Arches Tinnitus Formula can be very helpful. Darius Kohan, MD, a highly regarded ENT physician in New York City, has stated that Arches Tinnitus Formula works to lower sound levels in 75% to 80% of these people.

Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7 has been shown in numerous scientific studies to reduce tinnitus sound levels for most people who use it. It is especially helpful for the great majority of people who have tinnitus due to noise exposure and/or hearing loss. It is also helpful for those who have tinnitus due to ototoxic medications, which damage hearing. It can take up to three months to get the full effect so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles. You can buy the bottles individually but there is significant cost savings in buying all four at once, you save shipping costs and don’t have to worry about running out during the critical thee-month period.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jim,

You are correct that most of what you have consumed can cause tinnitus. Bumetamide is a “loop” diuretic and these medications frequently cause tinnitus. I don’t know if it caused yours but it’s too late to do anything about it. Cialis and Viagra can cause tinnitus, but the incidence is low. For most people, they will not cause it.

I think the real problems here, and something that can be managed, is your Type 2 Diabetes and use of diet sodas. Diabetes is a common cause of tinnitus. One study showed between 82% and 94% of people with tinnitus had hyperinsulinemia. This is where the body does not respond well to its own insulin and leads to diabetes. In this study they placed the patients on a diet suitable for diabetics and over 50% of them had significant reduction or total elimination of their tinnitus over two years.

Diet sodas are much more harmful than people realize. For one thing, Aspartame, which is the non-sugar sweetener in most, creates cravings for carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates convert almost immediately into sugar when digested. This totally defeats the purpose. Aspartame is also responsible for many neurological conditions, including tinnitus. You should really stop using these products.

To answer your question; no, I don’t think your problem will stay at its current level or worsen, provided you take steps to improve your diet and become healthier. You have a good chance of reducing tinnitus and enjoying life more fully.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate