Hi Barry,
A physical therapist gave me the following information. Is this true?
“Muscle spasms in the inner ear can tense up (spasm) which can result in tinnitus, hearing loss and a feeling of fullness in the ear.” And “ In rare cases, tinnitus is caused by a blood vessel disorder. This type of tinnitus is called pulsatile tinnitus.”
This physical therapist wants me to see another therapist who specializes in helping to relieve ear ringing. I don’t know what to do, and I don’t someone hurting me further.
Your thoughts please.
Teresa M.
Dear Teresa,
Thanks you for sending these questions.
Both statements you quoted are mostly correct but they refer to two different types of tinnitus.
Muscle spasm in the middle ear can result in tinnitus, hearing loss and fullness. Please note these are muscles in the middle ear between the eardrum and cochlea. There are no muscles in the inner ear, which is the cochlea. These muscles connect to the eardrum and as they spasm a doctor can actually observe the eardrum moving.
This is called Middle Ear Myoclonus and usually produces thumping, clicking or buzzing sounds. Sometimes it can sound like a typewriter. Treatment options include acupuncture, biofeedback and sometimes the use of anti-anxiety medication.
In the case of pulsatile tinnitus, a blood vessel disorder, such as blockage or twisting can cause the problem. The blood becomes turbulent and causes a whooshing or pulsing sound in synch with the heartbeat. There are several possible causes of this but the result is always turbulent blood flow.
In most cases a vascular surgeon can identify the cause of the turbulence and successfully treat it. Please see our article on Pulsatile Tinnitus.
It should be fairly easy to determine if you have one of these conditions. In one the doctor can observe the eardrum moving. In the other the sound corresponds to your heartbeat.
Both of these conditions are fairly rare. The majority of tinnitus cases are due to hearing loss. In this case Arches Tinnitus Formula can be helpful in reducing the sound level and aggravation of tinnitus.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Dear Barry,
Hope this message finds you well.
My Questions:
– Are the ingredients in Arches Tinnitus supplement USP tested / USP grade?
– Which countries do the ingredients come from?
– Can this work for tinnitus caused by either ototoxic substances and/or hearing loss?
Very much appreciate your kind answers,
Best regards,
Pierre Q.
Dear Pierre,
The ingredients in Arches Tinnitus products are United States Pharmacopeia (USP) tested and certified. This falls under the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices. Our California manufacturer is an FDA approved and monitored facility. As such, they are inspected and audited by the FDA on a regular basis.
All incoming raw product is analyzed and certified to meet cGMP and to have the minimum amounts and quality we have specified. After the manufacture, the completed product is analyzed again and a Certificate of Analysis is sent to us for every batch we receive. Please see the attachment.
In order to meet cGMP requirements, we are then obligated to send samples of each batch to an independent, third-party FDA approved laboratory for analysis and confirmation. Only then do our products go on the market and shipped to customers.
All components are supplied by US sources, which, also must meet cGMP requirements. The exception is the Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo is native to China and they are the largest supplier of Ginkgo biloba extract in the world. But not all ginkgo extracts are alike. Our ginkgo is sourced from organically grown trees in China and harvested without harsh chemicals like many other ginkgoes. Our Ginkgo Max 26/7 is a proprietary extract which, contains a minimum of 26% ginkgo flavone glycosides and 7% terpene lactones (versus the standardized 24/6 ), and is the highest concentrations found in any ginkgo product. Our ginkgo is also analyzed as it comes to our manufacturer to ensure this is the minimum. Actual percentages are higher, as you can see from the Certificate of Analysis.
Interestingly, you are the first to enquire about USP testing in our 22-year history of being in business, so thanks.
Our products are designed specifically for people who have tinnitus due to hearing loss. One prominent Manhattan ENT has stated 75-80% of his tinnitus patients who have it due to hearing loss are successful in lowering their tinnitus level. Ototoxic medications cause hearing loss leading to tinnitus.
It does take time and we recommend using Arches Tinnitus Formula Starter Kit for three months before you can expect the full effects. We have created Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit at a reduced price. This includes a 3-month supply of the Tinnitus Formula.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate
Hi Barry
I have had tinnitus since 2010. In 2014 I was in Colombia with my wife. My wife bought a Cialis tablet. I took the tablet and as a side effect the hissing sound almost completely disappeared.
I thought I discovered a treatment for this hissing sound, and after 2 – 3 days slowly the hissing sound came back. When I got home in Amsterdam and checked the internet for Cialis in relation to tinnitus. Much to my horror I only find negative stories about Viagra and tinnitus.
Since then I am scared to try again and still hear the hissing sound. Have you ever heard an equal story about Cialis in relation to tinnitus?
I am a former user of your product. Is it recommendable to use your product lifelong? Do you think it can prevent tinnitus?
Regards,
Bas
Dear Bas,
Yes, it is true that Cialis and Viagra can cause tinnitus. However, this is fairly rare, occurring in 0.1 to 1% of people. Most do not get tinnitus from these drugs. I have used them fairly often in the past with no problem.
However, what they do to all people is lower blood pressure. In fact, Viagra was initially developed as a drug to lower blood pressure before they found this other side effect, better erections.
It appears that lowering your blood pressure has the effect of also lowering your tinnitus. This makes sense as high blood pressure worsens tinnitus.
I would not worry too much and would continue with the Cialis. If your tinnitus does worsen, stop using it immediately and the tinnitus should recede. You can also combine it with NAC and/or Arches Tinnitus Formula, which protect the neurons in the inner ear and help prevent tinnitus.
People who achieve tinnitus reduction with Arches Tinnitus Formula usually continue using it consistently over many years. It is possible to reduce the dosage and still get the desired effect. We do not recommend reducing the dosage below 1/2 the recommended dosage on the label.
Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate