Tinnitus Treatments & Related Medicine FAQ

Dear Craig,

I’m very sorry to hear this. It sounds like Meniere’s disease, which presents as vertigo, a low-pitched humming or ringing and frequently, ear fullness. Do you have any ear fullness? However, I would think that the specialists you’ve seen would pick up on this, if that’s what it is. If its a high-pitched ringing, that would indicate hearing loss, perhaps caused by noise exposure

If this is the case, Arches Tinnitus Formula may be helpful in reducing the sound level and dizziness. There are many clinical studies showing Ginkgo biloba (the primary ingredient in ATF) is effective in lowering the sound level of tinnitus and reducing dizziness.

It is necessary to use Arches Tinnitus Formula for three months before you can get the full effectiveness of the product. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Marcia,

I’m sorry our product didn’t help. It helps about 75% to 80% of people who have tinnitus due to hearing loss. This is the majority of people with tinnitus but not all. Perhaps you have it due to another medical condition. In that case you should see an ENT and an Audiologist to find out what’s wrong.

There are other therapies. The one most used by tinnitus specialists is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is a sort of psychological counseling that trains people to get their mind off tinnitus so the aggravation and distress of tinnitus is lowered.

A therapy I like a lot is Biofeedback. In this therapy, electrodes connected to a computer feed information such as stress levels, blood pressure, skin temperature, heart rate and brain waves into it. The patient practices with different thoughts and emotions and soon is able to control these variables. The results can be dramatic and people are able to control skin temperature, slow heart rate, and lower blood pressure. They can even raise skin temperature in one hand while the other remains the same.

Lastly, acupuncture can be used. This therapy allows people to control and balance the basic life energy called “qi” (pronounced chee). During illness, including mental illness, this force is out of balance. Acupuncture allows the patient to re-balance this force. It is often used with herbalism and lifestyle changes to help the patient return to a balanced state.

I hope this is helpful for you and will help reduce your tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Scott,

Yes, buspirone, an anxiolytic, is a common cause of tinnitus as are benzodiazepines (lorazepam) and other anti-anxiety medications. None of these are safe to take over long periods of time even though they are often prescribed for mitigating tinnitus.

They are addictive and the dosage needs to increase over time or the patient goes into withdrawal. Even if they don’t worsen tinnitus initially, the withdrawal period increases the symptoms for which they were originally given, including tinnitus.

I don’t recommend taking any benzodiazepine (often called benzos) medications, on a regular basis. They should only be used for a short term of 2-3 weeks. Once dependency occurs, the withdrawal period can last months.

Professor Heather Ashton runs a withdrawal clinic in the UK and has written a manual on withdrawing from benzodiazepines. She says withdrawal for many people is more difficult than withdrawing from heroin. We have an article about this here.

There are alternatives to these prescription meds. As discussed in the article, benzodiazepine medication increases the amount of GABA in the brain. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter and ofsets the effects of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. When glutamate predominates, the brain enters a hyper-excited state and causes many neurological conditions, including tinnitus. When GABA predominates, it calms the brain and reduces the conditions.

A safer alternative is to purchase GABA in health food stores or online. You can also use L-Theanine. Both of these increase GABA in the brain without the side effects of the prescription meds. They are not addicting and don’t cause tinnitus. Typical doses are discussed in the article.

Arches Tinnitus Formula is also very helpful. Bilobalide, one of the constituents in ginkgo and our Ginkgo Max 26/7, is a powerful glutamate antagonist and reduces its effect.

Arches Tinnitus Formula, being a natural dietary supplement, takes longer to be effective than prescription meds. It must be used for three months to get the full effect. We recommend Arches Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) can be a thorny issue and occurs when the Eustachian tube fails to open during chewing, swallowing, or yawning. Sometimes decongestants, antihistamines, or steroids are effective treatment. During diagnosis, it is important to rule out possible underlying causes like TMJ dysfunction or migraine headache.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Bettiann,

I’m sorry this happened to you. I don’t know why the low frequency sound started. I doubt its the Sonicare toothbrush but not certain. Try going for a few days without it and see if that makes a change.

I also don’t think clenching or TMJ would be the cause. They both lead to a high frequency tinnitus, not a low roaring.

You may have a point with the vertebrae issue. When the vertebrae are knocked out of alignment, typically by whiplash, they can definitely impinge on the hearing nerve. I would consult with an Upper Cervical Chiropractor to determine if this is the case. Make sure it’s an Upper Cervical Chiropractor and not a regular one. These specialists have an extra year of training in the upper spine.

Please read our article about Meniere’s disease and its relation to misalignment of C1 and C2 in the upper spine. Meniere’s usually begins with a low frequency hum or whoosh and may have several other symptoms, such as ear fullness and vestibular (balance) problems. You may not have Meniere’s but should still check with the proper chiropractor to ensure upper spine health.

I don’t have much information on binaural sounds or binaural beats. They seem to be advertised through YouTube videos, of which I don’t have much confidence. There is a clinical study on recorded ocean sounds with and without binaural beats. Those who also had the beats had a slightly better outcome but nothing significant.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jerry,

I’m very happy you have had success with the Tinnitus Formula. I also have Parkinson’s disease and take the same medication, termed carbidopa/levodopa here, to control the symptoms.

My neurologist tells me exercise is the best thing you can do, along with the medication, to slow the progression. It sounds as if you get plenty of exercise and you should do very well in reducing future Parkinson’s.

Other supplements that are recommended include Omega-3 fish oil and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). I try to take at least 1,000 mg fish oil and 1,000 mg NAC daily. NAC is a powerful antioxidant and protects the ears from future damage. It also protects the ears from ototoxic drugs, such as antibiotics, that can increase tinnitus. It is very inexpensive and found in health food stores or online.

You may want to investigate Ubiquinol instead of CoQ10. CoQ10 has to be metabolized into Ubiquinol before it can be absorbed by the body. Ubiquinol is about 3x more effective than CoQ10 and is immediately absorbed. It is a little more expensive than CoQ10 but you don’t need as much. I take 100 mg daily. As you may know, CoQ10/Ubiquinol is the molecule that turns fats into energy in the cells and provides energy to the entire body. Please read our article about Statin Drugs and Tinnitus.

Antibiotics are very tricky and all of them have the potential to cause or increase tinnitus. I don’t know which one might be less toxic than others. My best advice is to go to www.drugs.com and search for one in particular. They will tell you if they cause tinnitus and what proportion of people may experience this. Unfortunately, I believe tinnitus is under reported in clinical trials. It may be necessary to try one that looks good to find out whether it will affect yours. You can also ask the prescribing doctor to look up the drug in his Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR). This will list all drugs and reports on those that cause or increase tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Paul,

The idea of “notched” therapy for tinnitus is not new but is a valid approach to the problems of loudness, annoyance and anxiety in people with tinnitus. Early researchers in Germany, about 10 years ago, employed notched music therapy. They recorded music and digitally removed all sound in one octave surrounding the patient’s tinnitus frequency.

The theory was by removing the particular tinnitus frequencies, activating adjoining neurons would produce “lateral inhibition.” By this means, surrounding neurons, tuned to close but not overlapping frequencies would reduce the hyper excitability of neurons at frequencies damaged by tinnitus, resulting in lower sound levels. Results were substantially positive over a period of time. For more details, please read our article on Notched Music Therapy.

I went through Signia’s website for their products. Nowhere was there a mention of price. This is because they are distributed by audiologists, who also distribute Signia’s hearing aids. I believe, but not certain, these products would be priced comparative to the price of hearing aids, or $2,000 to $4,000 each.

Notched music therapy employed recorded music programmed into the device, which has a wide variety of frequencies. Music, especially symphonic music, has overtones and frequencies that can approach 12,000 Hz. The idea of a notched frequency hearing aid would be to amplify the frequencies surrounding those of tinnitus but not the tinnitus frequencies.

The question I have is for those who have high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus. There simply is not enough ambient sound to amplify in the higher frequencies. This is why hearing aids don’t mask my tinnitus, which is at 4,000 Hz. Many people have tinnitus at higher frequencies. I question whether a notched hearing aid would be effective for those with high frequency hearing loss.

If you try one of these products, please let me know your experience with them.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jory,

A baby aspirin should be completely safe to take, even on a daily basis. I have not heard of an 81 mg aspiring causing or worsening tinnitus.

I can’t go against your doctor’s orders but I’ve never been a fan of statins. Statins rob your body of CoQ10 which causes lots of problems.

CoQ10 is the molecule that produces energy for the body. Statins only cause tinnitus in a very small percentage of people who use them, less than 1%. But, if they cause it for you, that’s all you care about. I don’t know of any that would be safer to take. If you do take one, I suggest adding at least 300 mg CoQ10 to offset any ill effects.

The most effective form of CoQ10 is called Ubiquinol. CoQ10 must first be converted to Ubiquinol for the body to use it. It can be found in health food stores or online. Please see our article on CoQ10, statins and tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Fran,

Sudden hearing loss can be very traumatic and usually causes tinnitus. About 1/3 of people with this condition completely recover, another 1/3 will partially recover, and for 1/3 of people, the condition is permanent.

Researchers are discovering that most people with sudden hearing loss have elevated levels of homocysteine in their bloodstream. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is produced by the consumption of high levels of meat and dairy. It can be processed and neutralized by the vitamins B6, B12 and methylfolate. These ingredients can be found in Arches Tinnitus Stress Formula and Arches Tinnitus B12 Formula.

Also, large numbers of people with sudden hearing loss have metabolic syndrome. This is when any three of the following conditions apply: hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, elevated triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol (the “good” Cholesterol).

Ginkgo biloba extract, found in Arches Tinnitus Formula, has been shown in clinical trials to help people with sudden hearing loss to recover. They recover faster and more completely than those not taking ginkgo.

More detailed information can be found in our article, Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Darrell,

Mild hearing loss probably does not require a hearing aid. If your tinnitus is from hearing loss, it’s probably at a high frequency and a hearing aid won’t help it anyway. I wear hearing aids because my hearing loss is moderate to severe, depending on the frequency. But it doesn’t do anything for my tinnitus because it’s at 4,000 Hz. There is not enough environmental sound at 4,000 Hz to amplify and mask tinnitus

If your hearing loss progresses toward moderate, you should probably get a hearing aid. Cognitive decline happens over time so you should stop it before it gets too bad. Read our article on Untreated Hearings Loss and Cognitive Decline for more detailed information.

Arches Tinnitus Formula should help reduce your tinnitus and at least prolong your hearing loss from deteriorating. It may help improve hearing. An old study on Ginkgo biloba in elderly people with hearing loss showed it improved hearing in the majority of them. Ginkgo biloba is the primary ingredient in Arches Tinnitus Formula.

It will be necessary to use it for three months (four bottles) before you get the full benefit. Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit is comprised of four bottles at a discounted price. You can purchase it here.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Joyce,

It seems to me you may have temporomandibular joint disorder, TMJD, which is when the jaw is out of alignment with the skull. When you sleep at night, you probably push it in one direction and wake up with tinnitus. This would also account for your head-neck movement causing it to start up.

TMJD can be treated by a dentist familiar with the condition. Standard treatment begins with a mouth guard, designed to keep your teeth aligned when sleeping. There are many other treatments, most painless and non-invasive. Here’s an article about TMJ disorder.  At the bottom of the article is a link to the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, where you can find a list of expert dentists by location.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Cassie,

When your ENT says “solved”, she means a cure. She is correct in that we are a long way from a cure. Tinnitus represents neuronal death in the cochlea which reverberates through the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex. It is very complex and a cure may not be available until there is successful stem cell therapy.

Nonetheless, there are quite a few therapies that can reduce the loudness and aggravation of tinnitus. Most cases, including yours, are caused by hearing loss, which destroys the hair cells in the inner ear.

Many clinical studies have shown Ginkgo biloba extract to be effective in reducing the noise of tinnitus. One prominent Manhattan ENT states that 75 – 80% of his patients who have tinnitus due to hearing loss are helped by using Arches Tinnitus Formula and are satisfied with the results.

Other worthwhile therapies are biofeedback, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and modifications to diet and exercise. Articles on these therapies can be found in our Tinnitus Library.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Richard,

You mean EGb 761. This is what ginkgo extract is called in Europe. It was named by the Dr. Wilmar Schwabe company in Germany that developed the first extract. In the US this is known as standardized Ginkgo biloba Extract 24/6 named for the amounts of flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones in the extract.

The Europeans are very strict in their regulation of dietary supplements. The US, not so much so. Consumer Labs has tested many ginkgo brands and found that 77% of them sold in the US do not contain the specific amounts of certain components required to qualify as the standardized extract. There are some good products that do contain everything required but there is no way to know for certain if you’re getting the good products or not.

Ginkgo Max 26/7Ò was developed by Arches to contain higher amounts of these components than required for EGb 761. It was designed specifically for people with tinnitus. It is a more highly refined and powerful extract that exceeds any other ginkgo product including EGb 761.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Walter,

This is a controversial report from the National Toxicology Program. The American Botanical Council has called into question and refuted many of the assumptions of the report and urges people not to be misled by it.

First, the amount fed to the laboratory mice was an astounding 2,000 mg per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight, taken every day over a period of 2 years. This is equivalent to me (at 165 lbs or 75 kg) taking 150,000 mg daily, an over 300-fold increase of my daily dosage. The total daily dosage of our proprietary ginkgo, Ginkgo Max 26/7®, in Arches Tinnitus Formula is 480 mg.

Second, the Ginkgo extract used was not a commercial preparation used in the United States or anywhere else. It was a sub-standard product from China that “did not conform to well established chemical profiles, quality and purity” of the leading extracts used in commercial Ginkgo biloba. The amounts of the individual components, ginkgo flavone glycosides, terpene lactones, bilobalide and ginkgolides were far in excess of anything found in commercial ginkgo. The extract itself has not been used in any commercial preparation.

Lastly, Ginkgo biloba has been used safely since its original formulation in the 1960’s by the Willmar Schwabe Co. of Germany. Tens of millions of people use ginkgo daily and it is the #2 prescribed medicine in Germany and France, where it is considered a prescription medication. It is one of the world’s most popular herbs. Were it to really cause cancer, we would have known this a long time ago. This report is an outlier and should not be considered representative of real-world conditions.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Diane,

No, this is not normal and it’s very likely caused by something else. I have been getting a lot of messages from people whose tinnitus has spiked in the last couple of weeks. In many cases this spike in tinnitus intensity is caused by additional stress from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with the necessity to shelter in place, and the isolation of social distancing.

Stress is the #1 trigger for tinnitus and can worsen it significantly. When the stress recedes, tinnitus tends to go back to its previous level.

There are a lot of foods that can worsen tinnitus. Fast food contains high amounts of sodium, which makes tinnitus worse. Sodas, especially diet sodas, should not be consumed as the artificial sweeteners in most can trigger tinnitus.

I hope this is helpful and your tinnitus reduces.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jude,

Yes, I think Arches Tinnitus Formula (ATF) can help restore some degree of hearing and also reduce your tinnitus.

Clinical studies have shown Ginkgo biloba, the primary ingredient in ATF, restores hearing. One study conducted on patients with hearing weakness due to inner ear problems and using ginkgo, reported 35 of 59 patients in the study had either successful or very successful improvements in hearing.

Another study of 350 patients with hearing defects due to old age were treated with ginkgo extract. The success rate was 82% and a follow-up study of 137 of the original group 5 years later revealed that 67% still had better hearing.

There are also numerous clinical studies showing Ginkgo is an effective treatment for tinnitus.

Arches Tinnitus Formula is successful in restoring some degree of hearing, preventing further deterioration of hearing, and reducing tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Yas,

I know what you’re feeling. I was just a bit older than you (mid 20’s) when I came down with tinnitus. I was extremely distraught and wondered how I could live my life with this. Since then my tinnitus has been lowered by about 65%.

One of the major problems with tinnitus is the issue of anxiety. Stress and anxiety make tinnitus much worse than it would otherwise be. It’s a vicious cycle, tinnitus causes anxiety and the anxiety increases tinnitus. It is important though to try and reduce anxiety. Exercise, eat healthy, avoid salt and simple carbohydrates, and try to occupy yourself in something that will take your mind off it. All this will help.

There are several therapies available that are proven to reduce tinnitus sound levels. Biofeedback and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are two of the most mainstream therapies. These take time and can be expensive but they are effective.

Arches Tinnitus Formula is the only scientifically validated dietary supplement treatment for tinnitus. It is completely natural and does not contain any sedatives which would inhibit active thought and learning. It has been shown in numerous clinical trials to alleviate tinnitus. It does take some time, three months, to get the full effect, but is not expensive. Three months (4 bottles) of Arches Tinnitus Formula costs about $130.00.

You can also take melatonin to get some better sleep. I recommend 20 mg about 90 minutes before bedtime. Melatonin is also natural, inexpensive and found in health food stores or online.

Here is an article about my struggle with tinnitus and what I eventually learned that has made it much more livable.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Rick,

The answer really depends on the frequency of your hearing loss. If you, like most people with tinnitus, have a high frequency hearing loss, hearing aids won’t do anything for it. The reason being there is not enough high frequency sound in the environment to amplify and mask tinnitus. My tinnitus is at 4,000 Hz and I wear hearing aids which help me hear better but don’t mask my tinnitus at all.

If you have a low frequency hearing loss and tinnitus, hearing aids will be helpful.

Regardless of their effectiveness in masking tinnitus, hearing aids are very important in order to prevent cognitive decline as we age. Research has shown that uncompensated hearing loss leads to a loss of neurons in the brain. This eventually leads to brain shrinkage and cognitive decline.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Evelyn,

Yes, this is exactly the cause Arches Tinnitus Formula can help with. Hearing loss is the #1 cause of tinnitus and as we age, we gradually lose hearing. This is called presbycusis and is common among older people. This loss of hearing is what is causing your tinnitus.

Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown in numerous clinical trials to reduce tinnitus loudness for most people who use it. It is especially helpful for those who have tinnitus due to hearing loss and/or noise exposure. It can also be helpful for those who have tinnitus due to toxic medications. One prominent Manhattan ENT says he has a 75-80% success rate with these patients using Arches Tinnitus Formula.

It takes three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles. You can purchase each bottle separately but the Starter Kit offers a significant price discount and you don’t have to worry about running out during the critical three-month period.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Debbie,

The American Tinnitus Association has been trying for years to stop ENTs from saying, “There’s nothing we can do and you should learn to live with it”. That is simply not true and it only shows this doctor is not familiar with tinnitus treatments. While there is no known cure for tinnitus, there are many therapies that are helpful for reducing the sound level and anxiety caused by tinnitus.

Therapies such as hypnosis and biofeedback are very helpful in lowering tinnitus. A proper diet can also reduce it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness training are endorsed by many tinnitus specialists as effective for reducing tinnitus. You can read about these therapies in our Tinnitus Library .

You mentioned a test in which you were told, “You can’t have a different loss in just one ear”. You certainly can and this indicates you have some hearing loss in one ear. Hearing loss is the primary cause to tinnitus and occurs in about 80% of patients.

Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown in numerous clinical trials to reduce tinnitus loudness for most people who use it. It is especially helpful for those who have tinnitus due to hearing loss and/or noise exposure. It can also be helpful for those who have tinnitus due to toxic medications. One prominent Manhattan ENT says he has a 75-80% success rate with these patients using Arches Tinnitus Formula.

It takes three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles. You can purchase each bottle separately but the Starter Kit offers a significant price discount and you don’t have to worry about running out during the critical three-month period.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Hi Jim,

Yes, it’s possible that you could have a more effective reaction. Clinically, there’s no doubt that the ingredients in Arches Tinnitus Formula, ginkgo, zinc and odor-controlled garlic are helpful in reducing tinnitus and restoring healthy chemistry to the auditory pathway. Anecdotally we have seen individuals respond to our product after 6 or more months, though we recommend trying it for 3 months.

I think that a combination therapy may be useful. Arches Tinnitus Formula in conjunction with another therapy may be more effective than either one by itself. There are many things that can be used for tinnitus. Gabapentin has been shown to reduce symptoms for many as has Melatonin. Gabapentin (trademarked as Neurontin) has been studied in combination with Klonopin by Dr. Abraham Shulman and has been shown to reduce symptoms for most people.

Neurontin has some side effects and about 30% of those in Dr. Shulman’s trial decided to discontinue due to those effects. A very similar product is available over-the-counter from health food stores and sold as GABA (gamma amino butyric acid). GABA and Neurontin both activate the GABA receptors in the brain, which are inhibitory receptors. They slow down excess electrical activity in the auditory cortex. We have heard from a few people that GABA supplements in conjunction with ATF have reduced the noise significantly.

There have been studies done with melatonin that show it also reduces symptoms. I came across interesting studies at the University of St. Louis where they were conducting trials with gabapentin and rTMS, as well as on Melatonin and Memantine.

I have a couple of comments on their reports. They discuss using 3 mg Melatonin. My own personal experience is 5-10 mg two hours before bedtime is great for inducing a good night’s sleep.

They report that gabapentin was well tolerated while Dr. Shulman reports a 30% drop out rate due to side effects. I think the difference is the people in St. Louis were using 900 mg while Dr. Shulman started at 900 mg and went up to 2700 mg if necessary.

In the Memantine discussion, they mention it is antiglutamatergic and that’s why it’s effective. This means Memantine inhibits the production and action of glutamate. Ginkgo biloba does the same thing! It is an effective glutamate antagonist and a powerful antioxidant within the ear. The combination of the two should be very effective if used together.

Hopefully, a combination therapy will be more efficacious than any particular one.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Paul,

It seems as though part of the problem you’re having may be due to inflammation. This is a complex situation involving many of the processes in the body. Inflammation is the cause of many human diseases and is a subject researchers spend lifetimes working on. This is probably why your doctors tried steroids, which are known to reduce some forms of inflammation. Inflammation is definitely a cause of headache and sinus problems.

Inflammation causes pain as well as a host of degenerative diseases and can have a significant effect on tinnitus.. One very basic principle is that a primary cause is too much saturated fat and not enough unsaturated essential fatty acids, which the body cannot produce. Essential fatty acids are the Omega-3 acids found in fish oil and EPA/DHA. EPA is eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA is docosahexaenoic acid. If there are not enough of these compounds in the diet, saturated fats replace the Essential Fatty Acids in the cells. Supplementing with the right fatty acids suppresses inflammatory prostaglandins, a group of lipids made at sites of tissue damage, and promotes anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E-2.

I also recommend a diet high in fish. Also supplement with fish oil or an EPA/DHA compound. Avoid saturated fats, salt and high glycemic foods such as simple sugars and refined carbohydrates. Please read our article, Omega-3s, Inflammation and Tinnitus: A Fish Story, for more detailed information.

Be very careful about your salt intake. Salt will aggravate tinnitus as well as inflammation.

Also you should use Arches Tinnitus Formulas. While they will not directly address the issue of inflammation, they will help in reducing the tinnitus. Arches Tinnitus Formula® will also increase circulation within the ears and help to reduce the fullness.

I hope this is helpful.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Ashley,

Head trauma is a common cause of tinnitus. There are several mechanisms of action causing the damage. The trauma can damage the auditory cortex in the brain, it can damage the auditory nerve leading from the cochlea or it can damage the fine bones in the middle ear that conduct sound to the cochlea.

The primary therapy for trauma induced tinnitus is the same as for noise induced tinnitus. I recommend Arches Tinnitus Formula, and NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine), while it can still be found on the  market. Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid are also helpful. These supplements can prevent further damage from occurring and will help to heal some of the existing damage.

For short term relief, many people have used GABA supplements. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that will slow down electrical activity in the brain and reduce tinnitus. It acts somewhat like a mild tranquilizer, so you must be careful when driving or operating machinery. I recommend 500-750 mg twice daily. After one week you can adjust dosage up or down depending on results. GABA can be found online and in health food stores.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Lee,

Thanks for your question. The short answer is, yes, clonazepam (trade name Klonopin) can be very helpful for reducing the sound level of tinnitus and alleviate depression and other anxiety induced conditions.

Unfortunately, it’s not all that simple. Klonopin and the other benzodiazepine medications, Xanax, Valium, etc., are very addicting. They were originally intended to be used for only a short duration, a few weeks. There is a hidden time bomb in these medications. They are so addicting that the dosage needs to be increased at regular intervals to achieve the same effect. If the dosage is not increased, the same symptoms the drug was prescribed for in the first place can come back and can be even worse than in the beginning. Withdrawal from these drugs can be a nightmare of withdrawal symptoms that some people cannot live with. The success rate of a medically supervised withdrawal, after long-term use, is only 65%.

Having given you the bad news I need to say that not all people will become this addicted. When I was first diagnosed with tinnitus I spent three years on and off again with Valium. When it came time to stop, I didn’t have a problem. My sister also spent several years on one of the benzos and came off fairly easily. You should be aware of the danger, though, and try to not use any of these for longer periods than absolutely necessary.

So what would I do? I have some personal knowledge of anxiety and what it can do to you and I do have some suggestions. If you read the article you will see the benzo medications act on GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which is a calming neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA is available as an over-the-counter medication and is quite inexpensive. You can begin taking this at the dosage suggested in the article and it should be helpful. Don’t expect it to work like the prescription drug as it is a supplement. However, it can calm you down and even make you drowsy so you should be careful driving until you know how it affects you.

I am also a huge fan of hypnotherapy for tinnitus. I tried quitting smoking for years before I finally visited a hypnotherapist. I have not had a single cigarette since though it did take a couple of follow-up visits to really get it fixed in my brain. More recently I was in a situation that generated high levels of stress in my life. Once again, hypnotherapy calmed me down and helped me to deal with the situation.

Another avenue to try is acupuncture for tinnitus. This ancient Chinese tradition offers a variety of therapies that help put the body back in balance and positively affect anxiety and tinnitus.

Not to be left out of the discussion is the use of biofeedback and neurofeedback for tinnitus. This feedback system helps the person learn to control basic bodily functions. People who become adept at this can actually reduce their blood pressure and heart rate. They can also reduce skin temperature and enter a state of perfect calm. It takes time and work but is very effective.

Last but certainly not least is the use of Arches Tinnitus Formulas. These will not directly work as an anti-anxiety medication but they can be very helpful in reducing tinnitus. I’ll bet if your tinnitus was improved your nervous system would be very happy.

All of these complementary therapies I’ve mentioned can be used alone or in conjunction with each other. You should begin working with some and see which ones resonate with you. You won’t have immediate relief in one hour, as with a prescription drug, but these therapies can give you a long and much happier life and are much healthier than the alternative.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Faye,

Thank you for your question. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been studied for many different conditions, including tinnitus, and shows great promise. It was originally developed as an alternative to electro shock therapy for people with intractable depression and it seems to work well for this.

TMS has been under intense study for some time now. Unfortunately, the United States FDA has not approved it for any use other than depression. That is why insurance companies won’t cover the treatment. It is still being refined with several parameters under close scrutiny to develop the most effective combination of power, wavelength, pulse duration, coil design and other variables. This is similar to the development of cochlear implants for deaf people. It took decades of biomedical engineering before the process was refined enough for clinical applications.

For more information, please read our article on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Bonnie,

Thank you for your question. It’s one that comes up frequently and deserves a complete discussion. Unfortunately, there isn’t a pain reliever that lessens tinnitus. In fact most pain relievers have the potential of damaging hearing and causing or worsening tinnitus.

The most common over-the-counter pain medications are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen, and naproxen, and acetaminophen, which is a subcategory of NSAIDs.  Each one has its benefits, and its drawbacks.

Prescription opioids can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus on their own but are generally prescribed in combination with NSAIDs which compounds the issue. The most popular and widely used of this group are hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol.

We published an article on Safe and Effective Pain Management for People with Tinnitus. It lays out the dangers of each pain medication and discusses how to safely reduce inflammation, which is a primary cause of tinnitus.

There is a class of benzodiazepine medications which are prescribed for anxiety. These can lower tinnitus sounds but have their own list of problems. These can be so addicting that the dosage needs to be constantly increased in order to treat the problems they were taken for. If the dosage is not increased the initial problems can come back even while taking them. This is called Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome.

The real solution for most people with tinnitus is to use Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7. This product can reduce the ringing for most people, especially those who have tinnitus due to hearing loss or noise exposure.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Debby,

It depends largely on the frequency of your tinnitus. If your tinnitus is in the mid-range of hearing where there are environmental sounds in the same frequency, hearing aids can be very helpful in covering up the ringing. If it is a high frequency, like mine, there aren’t any environmental sounds to amplify. Therefore, you will hear better but it will not mask the tinnitus. In this case you could use a tinnitus instrument, which is a hearing aid but which also generates sound at a frequency that will help mask the tinnitus. Please read our article on Masking Devices for Tinnitus.

I hope this is helpful,

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Murray,

MDMA is a synthetic drug, commonly referred to as Ecstasy or XTC. It produces feelings of increased energy, euphoria and emotional warmth and is frequently used during parties or “Raves.” It has similar effects to those of cocaine or amphetamines. I agree with you, it would be deleterious, to say the least, to use this drug as an ongoing treatment for tinnitus…ever.

I have seen numerous references to the fact that MDMA temporarily cures tinnitus. When it is metabolized by the body, the tinnitus returns. There are other compounds that do the same thing. Lidocaine is one of them; it will totally suppress tinnitus for several hours but it always returns when the Lidocaine leaves the body.

I don’t think that there is the possibility of refining Ecstasy to something that can be taken as a permanent cure for tinnitus. They body metabolizes it in about 3-6 hours and all effects of it are gone, except for the hangover. Symptoms include confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving and anxiety.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Neil,

There are many products which claim to cure tinnitus but unfortunately there is no cure. But there can be relief. An advertised guarantee is often meaningless since market research shows only 1-2% of people will demand their money back. Many less scrupulous competitors advertise a guarantee but never actually honor it.

Tinnitus is a very difficult condition to treat and has many different pathologies. For that reason we don’t offer one because we realize that our product doesn’t work for everyone but it does work for many who have tinnitus due to hearing loss.

I believe the best course is to follow the science, not the marketing. There is solid scientific evidence that Ginkgo biloba is helpful for people with tinnitus. Arches has developed a more highly concentrated extract of Ginkgo biloba designed for people with tinnitus, called Ginkgo Max 26/7. Depending on the cause of your tinnitus, we see success rates of 65% to 75% in those who have tinnitus due to noise exposure and hearing loss, the largest cause of tinnitus.

Please see an overview of 19 clinical studies on Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus. Not one of our competitors can offer this degree of scientific backing for their products.

Tinnitus maskers can be helpful for some. And as you know, they can be fairly expensive. I’ve never used one, but a number of our customers have had success using our products in tandem, in order to attack their tinnitus on several fronts.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Irene,

I don’t know of any ENTs who use tubes anymore because they have better treatments available. What the tubes do is help to drain the sinuses and the Eustachian tube. This is effective for those with plugged Eustachian tubes. It sounds like this might be the case with you. I advise you to see an ENT specialist for this.

Common treatments today are use of a prescription nasal spray and an antihistamine. This works for most people. For those in whom it is ineffective, the physician will then insert a tube through the ear drum and drain the Eustachian tube this way. They are able to correct the plugged Eustachian tubes in 80-90% of people with these measures. This condition is known as conductive hearing loss and it frequently causes tinnitus.

Please see our overview of hearing loss.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Joe,

You are correct that there is no cure for tinnitus. This doesn’t mean that there is nothing you can do to reduce the noise level and annoyance. There are many therapies that help people cope better with tinnitus. Unfortunately, I don’t think Lipoflavonoid is one of them. The product was developed in the 1960’s to help control vertigo in people who had Meniere’s disease. The only clinical trial conducted on it for tinnitus showed no effect. Still, some doctors continue to recommend it to their tinnitus patients.

Arches Tinnitus Formula contains Ginkgo biloba extract, which is supported by numerous scientific studies showing it improves tinnitus. Arches developed a specialized ginkgo called Ginkgo Max 26/7, which has a higher potency concentration of the individual compounds most helpful for tinnitus. This extract was developed specifically for people with tinnitus.

Your tinnitus is considered early onset, which is a very good thing. Early onset tinnitus has a much better outcome potential than tinnitus that has been present for several years.

Please read this overview of 19 clinical studies on Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus. If you have further questions, please send them to me.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear James,

I have never tried notched music therapy and don’t know anyone who has. It seems reasonable enough that notching out the bandwidth of a person’s tinnitus in music will stimulate the neurons around that bandwidth and provide therapy. I don’t really know the degree of tinnitus reduction notched music therapy will provide.

I’m not aware of anyone using Vagus Nerve Stimulation in conjunction with notched music. It is way too early to even try to define how successful one therapy is without combining it with another unknown therapy. I spoke with Michael Seidman, MD a couple of months ago. He is one of the leading researchers into VNS and he told me in the early clinical study of only a few people, they had about a 50% success rate and the amount of reduction varied between 30 and 80% among the successful participants. This is similar to the success rate using Arches Tinnitus Formula

Wishing you quiet times, Barry Keate

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 120 articles on everything related to tinnitus.

Our primary product is Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7®. This product has been clinically proven to reduce tinnitus sounds for most people who use it. For those who have tinnitus due to noise exposure and hearing loss, the greatest cause of tinnitus, the success rate of Arches TF is 75% to 80%.

It does require three months to get the full effect so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three-month supply.

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 Mary Ann,

There is the possibility that Namenda can help with tinnitus. However, it is also on the list of medications that can cause tinnitus. Also, as you mentioned, there are a lot of side effects. Namenda is a synthetic drug and all synthetics come with numerous side effects.

Namenda may work because it can block glutamate, an excitatory transmitter in the brain that is the chief villain in tinnitus. A natural compound that does the same is Ginkgo biloba. This is a powerful glutamate antagonist and has been shown to be helpful for tinnitus in numerous clinical trials.

We have developed an Ginkgo biloba extract that is extremely high in the compounds that block glutamate. It is the primary ingredient in Arches Tinnitus Formula, which we recommend for tinnitus. You can read more about our proprietary ginkgo extract for tinnitus, Ginkgo Max 26/7.

It requires three months to get the full effect from Arches Tinnitus Formula. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three-month supply.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Venkata,

The answer depends on what caused the tinnitus in the first place. About 75% to 80% of people with tinnitus have it due to hearing loss and/or noise exposure. This type of tinnitus is due to nerve damage in the cochlea and, unfortunately, is not curable.

The remainder is due to other medical conditions, many of which cause tinnitus. If the underlying medical condition can be cured, tinnitus often follows. There are a lot of possible medical causes of tinnitus.

If tinnitus is due to hearing loss and/or noise exposure, it is not curable but it can be treated and managed. Many therapies are available, from stress relief, to acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnotism and others. Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown in clinical trials to be effective in reducing tinnitus in up to 80% of cases where it was caused by hearing loss. It can take up to three months to become fully effective so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, which is a three-month supply.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Carole,

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. This is a great study and I think it will eventually have definite applications for people with hearing loss and tinnitus. In fact, I think stem cell therapy is the wave of the future for curing both conditions. Unfortunately, it is a long way off. The Stanford study you refer to was an extremely small study of 18 people and was designed to test the safety of the procedure, not the effectiveness.

There have been previous studies on stem cells to restore hearing but they have not been conducted on people as yet. Prior work was conducted on laboratory mice and chickens and was successful in initiating the growth of cochlear hair cells. The next step is to integrate these stem cell-derived hair cells with the recovery of neural synapses to complete the auditory pathway. There is much work ahead and it may be 10 or 20 years before this can develop into a clinical treatment for hearing loss and tinnitus in people.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Judy,

Yes, there is hope for relief. In fact, there are many avenues you can investigate that should help lower your tinnitus.

Your doctor is correct that there is no repair for damaged hearing, whether it is damaged by noise exposure or age the damage is not repairable. However, there are many things that will aggravate tinnitus and some that will be helpful in reducing it. Without mentioning everything that is possibly helpful, here is a rundown on some of the most effective means.

Diet affects tinnitus and is an important consideration. Intake of salt will always make tinnitus worse. Also, most sugar substitutes and flavor enhancers will aggravate tinnitus. You must have a very healthy diet to manage tinnitus.

Stress is also an important trigger for tinnitus. Stress will take a level 3 tinnitus (on a scale of 10) and turn it into a level 7 or 8 overnight. It is important to manage stress.

As mentioned in these previous articles, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, biofeedback and hypnosis are all helpful in reducing tinnitus.

Tinnitus masking is usually accomplished by the sound of moving water. If you don’t notice your tinnitus when in the shower, or if it is significantly reduced, you are a good candidate for this. Sound generators sold in department stores typically have several sounds of moving water. These include bubbling brook, crashing surf, rainfall and others. I find the sound of falling rain to be very soothing and it masks my tinnitus.

Arches Tinnitus Formula has been shown in clinical studies to reduce tinnitus for most people. It is especially helpful for those, such as you, whose tinnitus was caused by hearing loss. It is necessary to use it for a full three months before the full benefit can be determined. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit which includes a three month supply of the Tinnitus Formula.

I hope this is helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Beth,

I think you are doing the right things to get your tinnitus under control. I do have a couple of comments.

I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to start with the Tinnitus Formula along with other treatments. There are no counter-indications and, to my mind, being proactive and doing everything you can raises the probability of reducing the sound level. Many physicians recommend a multi-modality treatment. If you want to know which the best treatment is, you can always start cutting back on them after tinnitus is reduced. You’ll figure out what has been working and what hasn’t.

Be very careful of Valium and other benzodiazepine drugs like it. I used Valium successfully when my tinnitus was at its worst. Some people get hooked by it though and the consequences can be pretty dramatic. You have to keep increasing the dosage over time or the problem you took it for in the first place becomes worse than before. I don’t recommend you stop using it but do want you to know the downside so this doesn’t happen to you. You should only use it for a few weeks at a time, then take a break. Please read our article on Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome.

Hearing aids with a tinnitus masker is a great way to reduce the annoyance of tinnitus.

NAC won’t help to bring the tinnitus down. It will help to protect your ears from loud noise and ototoxic medications so it doesn’t get worse. I take it every day and recommend 1,000 mg twice daily. It’s quite inexpensive and a great antioxidant.

I hope this is helpful and you’re able to bring down the sound level.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Fay,

There’s nothing wrong with taking some Atavan for a period of time to calm down. The dosage you are using is the lowest available and should be OK. Please know though, that benzodiazepine medications, such as Atavan, are pretty highly addicting and need to be increased over time. If the dosage is not increased, the very symptoms for which it was taken will come back even worse than before. These medications are supposed to be used for a few weeks only.

I’m sure you do have a lot of anxiety and this is adding to the tinnitus. Stress is the #1 aggravator of tinnitus and will turn a level 3 (on a scale of 10) into a level 7 or 8. So the advice to calm down is right on. I know it’s hard to do, especially when you just got this, but it will help. B Vitamins are important to take daily when dealing with stress. Our Stress and B-12 formulas can be very helpful when taken with our Tinnitus Formula. You can save over $40 when buying them in the Tinnitus Combo Pack.

Most people will adjust to tinnitus over time and it will become moderated. Don’t panic as it will most likely get better.

There are definitely dietary concerns. Most people with tinnitus are insulin resistant or diabetic. Going on a diet suitable for Type II diabetics will help reduce tinnitus. In fact, it may even resolve it. If this applies to you, please investigate changing your diet.

Salt will also make tinnitus worse. It raises blood pressure, constricts the blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the cochlea. If I eat a salty meal my tinnitus will get worse for several hours.

We published an article on diet and tinnitus that may be helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Geraldine,

I’m very sorry your sister had to hear that, especially since it is 100% wrong. Doctors are like everyone else; there are some brilliant ones and there are some real knuckleheads. This just shows her doctor is not at all versed in tinnitus causes and potential treatments.

It is true that there is no “cure” for tinnitus; at least for the type caused by hearing loss and nerve damage in the cochlea (the great majority of cases). That does not mean that nothing can be done to help reduce the noise.

There are many things that can help reduce the sound level. Arches Tinnitus Formulas have been shown in clinical trials to help reduce tinnitus for most people who have it due to hearing loss.

Other treatments involve everything from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to acupuncture, biofeedback, even Yoga. All have been shown in trials to be quite effective in reducing, but not curing, tinnitus. Diet has a huge influence on tinnitus and eating a healthy diet can go a long way towards relief.

Dr. Michael Seidman is one of the premier ENT physicians in the US and treats many tinnitus patients. He states he can help, but not cure, up to 90% of his patients. He gave us his Tinnitus Treatment Protocol which enumerates the steps he goes through in evaluating and treating his patients. This protocol is in an article you can view here.

I hope this is helpful and gives your sister some hope for a better and quieter future.

Wishing your sister quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Gina,

Sinus allergies can definitely cause tinnitus and may be at the root of yours. Our products don’t help with sinus problems.

You should see an Ear, Nose & Throat physician. Typical treatments for this include a prescription nasal spray, such as Flonase, and an antihistamine.

Some over-the-counter allergy meds can cause or worsen tinnitus. You can find out which by searching for the medication by name and the term “tinnitus”.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Michael,

I’m not sure what the doctor meant by “counter rhythm”. I can’t find anything about a hearing aid with this term attached. Perhaps your doctor meant something with a rhythmic tone included in the device.

There is a hearing aid manufacturer named Widex that makes a device which includes what are termed “fractal tones”. These tones sound something like a wind chime only they are electronically generated and repeat a never ending pattern of sounds. The device is called the Widex Zen and it has been on the market for a few years.

These wind chime-like tones are designed to stimulate the brain and remove negative emotions associated with tinnitus. It is also a hearing aid which can amplify ambient sounds to help mask the tinnitus.

There is some clinical evidence that these instruments can be helpful in reducing scores of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). This questionnaire shows researchers how much tinnitus affects the lives of those who have it. The clinical trial I found combined use of the hearing aid with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and a relaxation program. The therapy and relaxation program are at least partly responsible for the lowering of the THI scores. The only way to tell if the instrument is effective is to run a trial without the additional therapies.

I have listened to a Widex Zen during a demonstration at a convention of Ear, Nose and Throat physicians. It was somewhat annoying to me and I don’t think I could listen to it for long. I’ve read that some people react to it as calming.

Widex Zen instruments cost between $1,00 to $3500. Most hearing aids have a return policy of 30 days during which time you do not need to pay for them unless you decide to keep them.

If you wish to try one of these, contact an Audiologist for a trial.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Tim,

Stress is the No.1 aggravator of tinnitus. It will take a level 3 tinnitus (on a scale of 10), and turn it into a 7 or 8 overnight. It does this by changing the body’s chemistry. Blood pressure rises, circulation is reduced and heart rate and breathing are increased. Tinnitus causes stress and stress makes tinnitus worse. It’s a vicious cycle.

Klonopin and other benzodiazepines can become very difficult to withdraw from. They were only meant to be used for a short period. They are addictive and, if you don’t keep increasing the dosage, they can aggravate the very condition they were taken for in the first place. Benzo’s have to be withdrawn from very slowly to avoid the worst of the withdrawal symptoms. They are typically reduced by 10% every 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the person. This means a complete withdrawal may take from 20 to 40 weeks.

I hope some of this is helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Melissa,

Pulsatile tinnitus and the problem doctors address for a stapedectomy are two totally separate things. I believe you may have two conditions, both of which can be successfully treated.

Pulsatile tinnitus is always due to turbulent blood flow in an area close to the cochlea. There are many possible causes of this and, once the cause can be isolated, they are usually treatable. The correct specialist to see for this is a vascular surgeon who has the tools to diagnose and treat the condition.

A stapedectomy for otosclerosis is performed if the bones in the middle ear become soft and don’t transmit sound effectively to the cochlea. This most often causes tinnitus. The surgery to fix it is very routine and not risky. It has been performed tens of thousands of times. But it will not help pulsatile tinnitus.

You should ask your ENT if you have otosclerosis, the problem a stapedectomy is designed to rectify.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

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. He 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. He combines this with Klonopin at bedtime. Dr. Seidman has had some success with this treatment protocol. However, he only uses it on patients who have a tinnitus that significantly reduces their quality of life and who have not responded to other treatments.

Baclofen has significant side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, headache, insomnia and nausea.

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. It has been used extensively at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles and the Tinnitus Clinic at Oregon Health Sciences University for the treatment of tinnitus and has been very successful. There are no side effects and there are biofeedback facilities in every major city in the US.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

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 full three-month 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

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 up to 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

Dear Joseph,

There is no cure for tinnitus. That is, at least for tinnitus caused by aging, hearing loss and noise exposure, which is the great majority. Some people have tinnitus due to another medical condition, such as sinus problems and allergies, hypothyroidism, otosclerosis, TMJ dysfunction, impacted earwax, etc. In these cases treatment of the medical condition can result in dramatically reduced tinnitus or cure.

Tinnitus caused by aging, hearing loss and noise exposure is called sensorineural in nature. This indicates nerve damage to the hair cells in the cochlea. There is no cure for this condition but there are methods to reduce the sound level. Therapies such as stress reduction, biofeedback, acupuncture and sound therapy can be helpful in mitigating the anxiety and loudness of tinnitus.

Arches Tinnitus Formula has been found in clinical trials to reduce tinnitus loudness in the case of aging, hearing loss, etc. One Manhattan ENT states he has a 75% to 80% success rate in lowering tinnitus sounds in this group.

It takes up to three months to receive the full benefit of Arches Tinnitus Formula. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles. At the end of this period you should know how much relief you can expect to have. You can purchase individual bottles of the product but the cost is higher and you run the risk of running out during the trial period.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Carla,

This is a very good question. Cannabinoids are the non-psychoactive extract of marijuana and are used for many medical conditions. These compounds do not cause the “high” that many marijuana users experience. I think there is reason to believe cannabinoids should work to reduce tinnitus. Here’s my thinking: we know that tinnitus is an epileptic-like spasm of neurons in the auditory cortex. Twenty five hundred years ago Hippocrates (the father of medicine) stated, “tinnitus is the little brother of epilepsy.” We now know that some, but not all, anti-convulsant medications can help reduce tinnitus for many people. We also know that cannabinoids have anti-convulsant action and help many epileptics reduce their seizures. So, it stands to reason, cannabinoids should help people with tinnitus.

I have not heard directly from anyone that cannabinoids helped them. So, I poked around research papers for some information. There is currently no research on cannabinoids and tinnitus in people. There is some laboratory testing the but results are not clear. One trial on laboratory rats found they possess cannabinoid receptors in the cochlear nucleus, part of the auditory pathway. After inducing tinnitus through the use of salicylate (a form of aspirin), these receptors were reduced. This shows reduction of cannabinoid receptors in the brain can influence the onset of tinnitus.

We don’t know for sure that cannabinoid will help people with tinnitus and will have to wait for more research. In the meantime, it seems reasonable to try it and see what happens. I don’t think it will hurt and it may provide some relief.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

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 75-80% 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. Please see our Tinnitus Infographic.

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

Dear Andrew,

Benzodiazepine medications such as Xanax are powerful and addictive medications. Withdrawing from benzos frequently causes the symptoms for which they were originally taken to worsen. This may be why your tinnitus came back worse. You must withdraw at a very slow rate. .

It may be possible to substitute another benzodiazepine for the Xanax that has a longer half-life. Then slow withdrawal for the new substitute may be easier as it leaves the bloodstream faster. Your doctor will be able to determine if there is a good substitute with shorter half-life.

Arches Tinnitus Formula may well help during the withdrawal period. It is necessary to use this for three months minimum (four bottles) before you can gauge how effective it will be for you. Melatonin should also be helpful in keeping you asleep at night.

I hope you can find relief through a slow withdrawal and the use of Arches products.

Sincerely,
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 Stephen,

I have a couple of comments. Hearing aids can be helpful if your tinnitus is in the mid-range. If it’s high frequency, like mine at 4,000 Hz, don’t expect the hearing aids to mask the tinnitus. There isn’t enough ambient sound in the high frequencies to amplify. So they won’t do much in the way of hiding tinnitus.

Hearing aids are very good and recent research has shown that they help prevent cognitive decline so I am very much for them. But, depending on the frequency of your tinnitus, they may or may not help to mask it.

Hearing aids with masking sounds should be avoided if the masking sound is white noise, unstructured sound at multiple frequencies. It is becoming obvious to researchers that white noise may mask tinnitus but, in the long run, it damages hearing, makes tinnitus worse and prevents habituation and recovery.

I would also be careful of sertraline. This is also known as Zoloft. It is an SSRI anti-depressant and tinnitus is a common side effect of the medication. It may not affect you this way. Up to 10% of people who use it report it has caused or worsened tinnitus. I hate to sound negative but I believe anti-depressants are way over-prescribed and can have serious side effects. If your tinnitus shows signs of worsening, you must stop using it immediately.

Arches Tinnitus Formula® is effective in reducing tinnitus sounds, especially for those who have it due to hearing loss. It is not addictive and has no side effects. I’ve been using it for 30 years with no negative effects and it has lowered my tinnitus by about 70%.

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.

It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.

You may also want to use melatonin to help getting to sleep. I take 10 to 20 mg taken about 60-90 minutes before bedtime. You may want to try a smaller dose at first to see how you react to it.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Heather,

This is in reply to your message to us on Arches’ Facebook page. I’m sorry your husband is having a difficult time. Hearing aids are necessary as we know that they help reduce the risks of cognitive decline. People who lack proper hearing do not get the input the brain needs to function properly. This leads to an aging brain and decline in cognitive function.

They may not help with his tinnitus though, depending on the frequency. If he has a high frequency tinnitus, like mine at 4,000 Hz, there is not enough ambient sound at that frequency to amplify so it will not mask the 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 Tinnitus Formula can also help to reverse hearing loss for some people. They will not return to youthful hearing but it can make a difference.

It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a 100 day supply of four bottles of Arches Tinnitus Formula.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jim,

Thank you for your question and your continued support for Arches Tinnitus Formula.

I’m very sorry this happened. Azithromycin does not cause tinnitus often, but it does happen. All antibiotics can cause tinnitus in some people. It will probably go down fairly soon and using Arches should protect against permanent hearing loss. You could also begin taking NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine).

NAC is inexpensive but is a great antioxidant. It also protects hearing. It can be found in most health food stores and has no side effects. I recommend 1,000 mg taken once or twice daily. It won’t upset your stomach so you can take it on an empty stomach if you wish. I would begin taking it today, if possible.

I hope this is helpful and the increase reduces to normal.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Paul,

Great news that your hearing loss resolved so quickly. You may have a little hearing loss remaining in your left ear that is causing the tinnitus. Stress can also play a major role in worsening tinnitus. It may be that the stress of your sister’s death led to both the hearing loss and tinnitus. Stress can do anything to the body and strikes us at our weakest point.

Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7 can help reduce your tinnitus and protect your ears from future problems. A clinical study conducted years ago in France clearly showed ginkgo improved hearing in the majority of hard of hearing patients. It doesn’t restore hearing to youthful levels but is protective of hearing and can restore a degree of hearing loss.

I suggest a three-month trial (four bottles) of Arches Tinnitus Formula. This should improve your tinnitus. If so, you may be able to maintain your hearing and control the tinnitus with a reduced dosage of the product.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Teresa,

I agree with your assessment. Vodka’s not likely the best treatment here. For some individuals with tinnitus, alcohol can even make it worse. Caffeine and salt are the other big offenders.

If it’s coming from the upper cervical spine, you may need to see an upper cervical chiropractor. These are specialists rather than regular chiropractors. They can be found in the phone book in any major city.

I may have thought this was muscle spasm in the past, based on what you told me. This is called somatic tinnitus. If it was spasm of the SCM muscle, a physical therapist should give massage to the area. Biofeedback can also be helpful. A TENS system delivers low voltage electricity to spasming muscles and this helps stop the spasm.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Cynthia,

Ativan is what is known as a benzodiazepine medication. It provides synthetic GABA to the brain. The brain thinks it has plenty and doesn’t make any more. During withdrawal, GABA levels plummet and glutamate levels soar. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and is responsible for the horrible side effects of withdrawal, including tinnitus.

The bilobalide component of Arches Ginkgo Max 26/7 is a glutamate antagonist. It doesn’t do anything one way or the other for GABA but does reduce the amount of glutamate.

Arches Tinnitus Formula is very safe to take while withdrawing from any benzodiazepine medication. Many people use it during withdrawal and find it helps mitigate some of the worst effects. It will not jeopardize your hearing but will be protective of it.

And yes, stress is a major trigger for tinnitus. Arches Tinnitus Formula doesn’t directly address stress but Arches Tinnitus Stress Formula does. This combination of high dosage B-Complex vitamins replaces B vitamins that are destroyed by stress and helps calm the nervous system.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Frank,

There are some reports that Atorvastatin can cause tinnitus. It occurs pretty rarely and only 0.1% to 1% of people develop this. It’s not a big problem.

I won’t contradict your doctor but there are other ways to reduce cholesterol. You should discuss these options with your doctor. Red Yeast Rice is used for this as it contains a natural statin drug. I don’t know the dosage to use but you can Google it to find more information.

Niacin (Vitamin B3) is also used for reducing LDL cholesterol. This was used for controlling cholesterol levels before the development of statin drugs. It is not as effective as statin drugs on reducing LDL but it has the advantages of increasing HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and decreasing triglycerides better than statin meds. It is very good for reducing the risk of heart disease.

There are several formulations of Niacin and the only one that is effective is called nicotinic acid. Normal doses are 1 to 3 grams per day. The other forms of Niacin do not contain nicotinic acid and are not effective. The downside of nicotinic acid is it produces a “flush” in the face and neck. This flush doesn’t last long and does not have any negative effects but it can be unpleasant.

You can avoid the flush effect by using a sustained release product. However, these increase the risk of liver toxicity and should be used carefully. There is a prescription form of non-flush niacin called Niaspan, which is effective and safe for the liver but it is quite expensive. An over-the-counter sustained release preparation called Slo-Niacin is similar to Niaspan. It is effective, not toxic to the liver, and less expensive than Niaspan.

Arches Tinnitus Formula should be helpful in reducing your tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Fay,

You have had otosclerosis and a stapedectomy was performed to correct it. Otosclerosis can sometimes spread to the cochlea and cause further hearing loss and tinnitus. In your case, I believe your high stress levels have contributed to the increase in tinnitus. Stress is the #1 aggravator of tinnitus and once your stress reduces, the tinnitus should also go down.

There are a number of different ways to learn to control stress. My favorite is biofeedback. This is a therapy where electrodes are connected to your skin and stress levels are recorded. You can watch your stress go down as you think more relaxing thoughts. After practicing this for a few weeks, you gradually learn to lower your stress levels without use of the measuring equipment. People adept at this find they can reduce blood pressure, lower heart beat and slow breathing while increasing breath volume. It is very effective in reducing stress. You can read an article about my experience with biofeedback.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

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 Alec,

You didn’t mention if you will receive a local or general anesthetic so I assume you’re talking about general anesthesia where you are made unconscious.

All anesthetics have the potential to cause tinnitus but the incidence is not high. The most popular general anesthetic in use today is Propofol. One reason for its popularity is the patient wakes quickly and does not need to spend a lot of time in recovery. Propofol lists tinnitus as a rare side effect, occurring in 0.1% to 1% of patients who use it.

A good way to make certain you do not develop tinnitus is to take N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). This is an inexpensive anti-oxidant that helps prevent ototoxicity due to medications. I recommend 1,000 to 2,000 mg per day, taken in two equal doses. Start today if possible. Continue for at least one week after the ablation. NAC can be found in most health food stores. You cannot take too much of it and there are no side effects.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Patricia,

The subject of pain relief in those who have tinnitus is very difficult. Essentially, all over-the-counter pain medications can cause tinnitus. This doesn’t mean everyone using them will have tinnitus or have theirs worsened, but the risk is there. Some are much more likely to cause or worsen tinnitus than others.

Fortunately, I don’t have chronic pain. When I do need a pain reliever, Tylenol is my choice. Tylenol can damage to the liver though so extreme care must be taken to keep the dose well below the maximum daily amount listed on the label. Overuse of Tylenol leads to liver poisoning, hospitalization and possible death.

Pain is caused by inflammation. There are many strategies to reduce inflammation without the use of pain medication. Omego-3 fish oils are at the top of the list. There are dietary guidelines also for reducing inflammation. Reducing inflammation will reduce the pain.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Dennis,

Ketamine is a prescription anesthetic that is used in surgeries. It was developed in the 1960’s and is used in field hospitals for the US Army. During the 1970’s and 80’s it was a popular recreational drug in dance raves due to its hallucinogenic, euphoric and trance-like effects taken at lower dosage than when used for anesthesia.

The derivative of ketamine, esketamine has been proven effective at treating long-term depression. The FDA has approved a ketamine-based nasal spray for depression. It has been found to be fast-acting, taking effect in as little as 4 hours. Current SSRI antidepressants can take several weeks to become effective. Esketamine may be a ground-breaking new medication for depression. However, some people experience cognitive, liver and bladder complications. New trials will address these issues and determine optimal dosage.

One of the actions of ketamine is to act as an NMDA receptor antagonist. The NMDA receptor is responsible for glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter. This reduces glutamate and increases GABA. Logically, this would be very helpful for tinnitus. But clinical trials have been inconclusive.

Auris Medical, a Swiss company, has conducted clinical studies with a ketamine metabolite designated AM-101. Studies were disappointing. A newer study that used the ketamine metabolite, AM-111 shows more promise. The study showed it is effective in reducing tinnitus if applied within 48 hours of acoustic trauma. The drug is injected through the eardrum into the middle ear. This procedure is called transtympanic perfusion. The drug sits in the middle ear and diffuses into the cochlea.

There have been numerous anecdotal reports of people having their tinnitus reduced using ketamine. However, it won’t be widely available for tinnitus until clinical studies prove effectiveness, safety and effective dosage. It will be a long road ahead for a medical solution for tinnitus.

In the meantime, Ginkgo biloba extract has been shown in numerous clinical trials to be effective in reducing long-standing tinnitus. Arches Tinnitus Formula uses Ginkgo Max 26/7®, the most potent ginkgo extract found anywhere in the world. It is especially helpful for the great majority of people who have tinnitus due to noise exposure or age-related hearing loss. A prominent Manhattan ENT states he has a 75% to 80% success rate using Arches Tinnitus Formula for those patients.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Tom,

This is a difficult question to answer because there has been minimal clinical studies on the use of medical marijuana and tinnitus. Many people in the industry report that there is a 50:50 mix of people who say it helps and those who say it makes tinnitus worse.

Marijuana is typically dominated by two strains; THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the one that gives the familiar “high” that pot is known for. CBD has no psychoactive effects and is used for many health benefits ascribed to pot.

My feeling is this: We know marijuana, especially CBD, helps those with epilepsy. That is one of the primary reasons for the push to legalize it. Hippocrates (the father of medicine) stated 2500 years ago, “Tinnitus is the little brother of epilepsy.” We know today that tinnitus is an epileptic-like convulsion in the auditory cortex. CBD oil greatly calms epilepsy and I believe it should be helpful for tinnitus as well.

However, some clinical studies conducted on laboratory mice found that marijuana increased hyperactivity in the auditory cortex causing tinnitus. We don’t know the ratio of THC to CBD in these trials and I think it’s the THC responsible for the increase.

So, go ahead and try it. But I would look for a strain that is highest in CBD and lowest in THC.

I would love to hear from you again with the results of your trial.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Stephen,

I have a couple of comments. Hearing aids can be helpful if your tinnitus is in the mid-range. If it’s high frequency, like mine at 4,000 Hz, don’t expect the hearing aids to mask the tinnitus. There isn’t enough ambient sound in the high frequencies to amplify. So they won’t do much in the way of hiding tinnitus.

Hearing aids are very good and recent research has shown that they help prevent cognitive decline so I am very much for them. But, depending on the frequency of your tinnitus, they may or may not help to mask it.

Hearing aids with masking sounds should be avoided if the masking sound is white noise, unstructured sound at multiple frequencies. It is becoming obvious to researchers that white noise may mask tinnitus but, in the long run, it damages hearing, makes tinnitus worse and prevents habituation and recovery.

I would also be careful of sertraline. This is also known as Zoloft. It is an SSRI anti-depressant and tinnitus is a common side effect of the medication. It may not affect you this way. Up to 10% of people who use it report it has caused or worsened tinnitus. I hate to sound negative but I believe anti-depressants are way over-prescribed and can have serious side effects. If your tinnitus shows signs of worsening, you must stop using it immediately.

Arches Tinnitus Formula® is effective in reducing tinnitus sounds, especially for those who have it due to hearing loss. It is not addictive and has no side effects. I’ve been using it for 30 years with no negative effects and it has lowered my tinnitus by about 70%.

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.

It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.

You may also want to use melatonin to help getting to sleep. I take 10 to 20 mg taken about 60-90 minutes before bedtime. You may want to try a smaller dose at first to see how you react to it.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate