Causes of Tinnitus & Related Conditions FAQ

Dear Andrew,

This is a very controversial question, which infuriates the communications industry, who deny any harmful effects. The Internet is rife with stories of people who claim to have experienced harm from cell phone use. I am leery of publishing these accounts as they are anecdotal, and therefore difficult to prove.

However, I found a blog on the site of Scientific American by Joel M. Moskowitz, PhD, who is director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Moskowitz has been producing research on wireless radiation health effects since 2009.

He stated that there has been very little research on the effects of 4G radiation on the population and none on 5G. The essential difference between the two is 5G is a higher frequency therefore, has a shorter wavelength. The shorter wavelengths don’t penetrate buildings or other obstacles as effectively as 4G and have a limited reach. Because of this it will require many more cell towers, up to 800,000 or more, than are currently in use. We are embarking on this gigantic effort without the scientific background to know whether or not it is safe.

This is a long article and I will provide a link for those who wish to read it in its entirety. One of the basic tenets of the article is the FCC is basing its radio frequency exposure guidelines on research from the 1980’s. The exposure limits are based on behavioral changes in rats exposed to microwave radiation and were designed to protect us from short-term heating risks due to radio frequency exposure.

Since the FCC adopted these limits, over 500 studies have found harmful biologic or health effects from exposure to radio frequency at intensities too low to cause heating. Citing this large body of research, more than 240 scientists who have published peer-reviewed research on the biological and health effects of electromagnetic fields have signed the International EMF Scientists Appeal, which calls for stronger exposure limits.

There is much, more to this article. Those who wish to view the entire paper can view it here: We Have No Reason to Believe 5G Is Safe

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Alberta,

The decline in your hearing is most likely the cause of your tinnitus. About 80% of all tinnitus cases are due to hearing loss. Arches Tinnitus Formula is especially helpful for this kind of tinnitus and has been helping people for over 21 years. It must be used for 3 months to get the full effect so we recommend Arches Starter Kit, a full 3-month supply of 4 bottles.

I know the market is confusing and there are many companies claiming to have a cure. There is no “cure” for tinnitus but there is relief from the noise and aggravation. You have to look at the science to determine the best product. Arches Tinnitus Formula is scientifically based and there are many clinical studies showing effectiveness in reducing tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Clayton,

The plane ride could have caused this. Both the noise from the engines and the changes in pressure could be the culprit. If the engine noise caused it, she has probably lost some hearing. If the pressure changes caused it, it could be the result of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) where the Eustachian tube is clogged.

I recommend a visit to an ENT doctor for a hearing test. This test will be able to differentiate between hearing loss and ETD.

I have not been able to find any information relating the scopolamine patch to tinnitus.

People with tinnitus need to be careful when flying. There are safeguards that can prevent damage from the noise and pressure changes. Please read our article on Flying with Tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Carole,

I don’t know if the mask’s elastic bands were making your ear wax or tinnitus worse. However, there are masks that have loose string you tie behind your head. The top strings go over the ears and the bottom ones around your neck. They don’t exert any pressure on the ears and are much more effective than a bandana.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Rick,

Tinnitus usually begins in the ear, especially if it is due to noise exposure. But it eventually moves to the auditory system in the brain. It is a condition that effects the entire auditory system, from the cochlea to the dorsal cochlear nucleus and onto the auditory cortex. Tinnitus can be heard in any of these structures. That’s the explanation but it doesn’t do much to help you.

You may be interested in trying another tinnitus therapy, along with Arches Tinnitus Formula. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy trains the brain to avoid the aggravation and distress of tinnitus.

Biofeedback trains the patient to control automatic functions of the body that were previously uncontrollable. You can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, practice deep relaxation, and more.

Both of these therapies are widely used to treat tinnitus and the majority of people who use them report very good outcomes. They both work well with Arches Tinnitus Formula

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 Monica,

My tinnitus at 4,000 Hz doesn’t refer to the level of noise but the frequency. 4,000 Hz is a high frequency. Noise levels are described in decibels, or Db.

I have hearing loss at 4,000 Hz which was determined during a hearing test. Hearing loss is the primary culprit in most cases of tinnitus.

You have pulsatile tinnitus which is a whole different animal. Pulsatile tinnitus is due to turbulent blood flow, caused by a pinched artery, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, or other conditions that causes turbulence. Pulsatile tinnitus can be treated and often cured. You should consult with a vascular surgeon, who can identify the cause of the turbulence and treat it.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Irene,

You have brought up a series of questions. First of all, antidepressants are pretty notorious for causing hearing loss and tinnitus. Most modern SSRI antidepressants list tinnitus as a frequent side effect. So, your antidepressant may be causing the worsening hearing and increase in tinnitus. You could try to gradually wean yourself from this medication. Consult with your doctor about it because abruptly cutting it off can have negative effects.

There are many possible causes of a feeling of fullness, or clogging, in the ear. These range from Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, caused by flu, colds or allergies, to an infection in the middle ear, even to Meniere’s disease, which I don’t think you have or you would mention dizziness.

The music and singing voices is called Musical Ear Syndrome and is nothing to be afraid of. It usually occurs in older people who are also hard of hearing. The brain demands input and if it doesn’t get enough, it actually “makes up” sounds or remembers sounds from the past. One simple way to get this to calm down or go away is to make sure you have plenty of audio input. Play music in your home loud enough to hear and enjoy it.

I hope this information is helpful for you and you can start to enjoy life more.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Joan,

Yes, it’s entirely possible removing the amalgam fillings are responsible for your decrease in tinnitus.

Amalgam dental fillings are commonly referred to as “silver fillings” but are really approximately 50% mercury. Silver comprises 25-35% of the filling and the balance is varying combinations of tin, copper and zinc. Mercury, which is liquid at room temperature, dissolves many other metals.

Mercury is an acknowledged neurotoxin. It is known that overtime mercury fillings can cause tinnitus and removing them can help. It may also help your MS. Here’s an article on amalgam fillings and tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jerry,

There are no OTC fever reducing meds you can take that don’t have some potential to aggravate tinnitus.  Acetaminophen can aggravate it but it is lower on the list than the other NSAIDS and is what I use when I need pain relief.

Provided you don’t take a high dose over a long period of time, your chances of worsening tinnitus are slim. Acetaminophen can also damage the liver in high doses. The manufacturer says you should not take over 4,000 mg in one day and I would keep it a lot lower than that. I sometimes have knee pain and the drug works but I always keep the dosage below 2,500 mg. You can always take NAC in the dosage of 1,000 mg twice daily. This counteracts the ototoxicity of acetaminophen and is a very healthy antioxidant to use.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Kristi,

I’m really sorry your tinnitus is so bothersome. I know about panic attacks and they’re no fun.

The first thing to know is stress is the #1 aggravator of tinnitus. Stress will take a level 2 or 3 tinnitus and turn it into a level 8 or 9 overnight. I know it’’s extremely difficult to control but if you can lower your stress levels, the tinnitus should decrease as well.

Diet is another trigger for tinnitus, especially salt. Salt will dramatically increase tinnitus. Many people are unaware of this and consume salty snacks without knowing that’s what is triggering heightened tinnitus.

An ENT doctor will be able to test your hearing to see if that is the cause. Hearing loss is responsible for about 80% of those with tinnitus. However the ENT probably won’t have anything to offer for this. And it may be caused by other conditions, such as hypothyroidism, TMJ or other medical condition that an ENT won’t be familiar with. It may be best to have a full medical workup by your family doctor to see if something else is causing it.

Arches Tinnitus Formula is helpful for most people with 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 Lauren,

Somatic tinnitus occurs when signals from the body interfere with auditory signals to cause or worsen tinnitus. One of the common causes of this is TMJ dysfunction, where the jaw is out of alignment with the skull. A dentist familiar with the condition can tell you if you have it and, if so, can treat it. The most common treatment is use of a bite guard while sleeping that will help re-align the jaw.

Another common cause is spasm of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. This muscle starts under the ear and is what you use when turning your head. Spasm in the SCM can be treated by a physical therapist. You could see your family doctor about this and he or she would be able to refer you.

Biofeedback and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) are often used to treat muscle and upper cervical problems that cause tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Joan,

Yes, it’s entirely possible removing the amalgam fillings is responsible for your decrease in tinnitus. Amalgam fillings are primarily mercury, a neurotoxin. It is known that this can cause tinnitus and removing them can help. It may also help your MS. Here’s an article on amalgam fillings and tinnitus.

Wish you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Richard,

All antibiotics have the potential to cause or worsen tinnitus but they vary in how high the likelihood is for each one. I’m not an expert in antibiotics and not sure which would be best. Especially since different ones are used for different purposes. This is a good question for your physician. He or she can look it up in the PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference), which every physician has. They can then decide which is best for you.

One way to ensure your tinnitus isn’t worsened by the antibiotic is to take NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) before and after the course of antibiotics. NAC is an inexpensive antioxidant found in health food stores. It protects the hearing nerves from insult, either noise or medications. Start taking 1,000 mg twice daily and continue for at least a week or two after the antibiotic regimen is finished. There are no side effects to NAC and it will not dilute the antibiotic effectiveness.

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

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Henry,

Prescription anti-depressants can be pretty nasty drugs. Most of them cause tinnitus at least some of the time and Zoloft is one of the worst offenders. It frequently causes tinnitus in those people who use it. There are a host of other unwanted side effects from these drugs. According to the Physician’s Desk Reference, Zoloft frequently causes the following: sexual dysfunction, impotence, heart palpitations, chest pain, weight gain, back pain and tinnitus. The list of infrequent but possible side effects is far too long to include here.

There are many other natural anti-depressants that work just as well or better than Zoloft and have no possible side effects. They’re not prescribed often by doctors because the pharmaceutical companies can’t patent them.

Some natural anti-depressants that come to mind are Ginkgo biloba, B-Complex vitamins, St. John’s Wort and SAMe. SAMe is pretty expensive and not covered by insurance but it can be effective as a natural anti-depressant.

You’re wise to stay off that prescription and play beautiful music.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Stacy,

Thank you for your kind words. This job brings a lot of satisfaction to me, especially when I receive feedback like yours.

Ultram can cause or worsen tinnitus in less than 1% of people. This sounds small, but if you’re in that 1%, you don’t care that the other 99% didn’t get it. I recommend you discuss with your doctor whether there’s another, equally effective, painkiller without the possible side effect of tinnitus. You can view a list of prescription drugs that cause tinnitus .

Studies show that those people who have tinnitus primarily in one ear and who have had it for less than one year respond much better to Ginkgo biloba. One researcher stated that not only should all people with tinnitus use Ginkgo but they should begin as soon as symptoms are present. Our proprietary ginkgo, Ginkgo Max 26/7 is one of the primary ingredients in Arches Tinnitus Formula.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Charlie,

The elderly have a higher prevalence tinnitus due to failing hearing. This is not a reversible condition and I’m not sure what operation a doctor may have mentioned. One I can think of would be a cochlear implant. If this is what her doctor recommended it may deserve consideration. Cochlear implants are electronic devices that perceive sound and generate it to the auditory nerve.

Having such an intrusive procedure at the age of 86 may not be in the cards though. This procedure severs the auditory nerve and destroys all natural hearing.That is something for you and your mother to decide.

Tinnitus masking may help her, especially a device called a Tinnitus Instrument. This device combines a hearing aid and a masker in the same unit and fits into the ear.

You did not mention the medications she is taking. Is she using a SSRI anti-depressant? If so, these can cause or worsen tinnitus and substitutes should be considered. Remeron is a newer anti-depressant medication modeled after the older tricyclic anti-depressants. It does not cause or worsen tinnitus. Tryptophan is the best as you probably saw from the newsletter article.

Does she take any prescription blood thinners? If so, she cannot take Arches Tinnitus Formula® without her doctors knowledge and understanding. Our proprietary Ginkgo Max 26/7®, the  ginkgo found in ATF, is also a blood thinner and is considered additive. A knowledgeable doctor will be able to lower the amount of blood thinner to compensate for the ginkgo. There are no interactions between the two.

If she is not taking prescription blood thinners, or if she is and her doctor is willing to lower the dosage, I recommend the Tinnitus Formula. It clearly helps many people with tinnitus due to failing hearing in the elderly.

There are other ways to manage tinnitus as well. Diet is extremely important. She should avoid salt like the plague. Salt is a major aggravator of tinnitus and restricts blood flow into the cochlea. She should also avoid high glycemic foods such as simple sugars and refined carbohydrates. Sugar is a trigger for many people with tinnitus.

I hope this is helpful for your mother.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Susie,

Rythmol and Lipitor are on the list of medications that can cause tinnitus. They each cause tinnitus in only 2% of people who use them. Aspirin causes tinnitus also, but generally only in very high doses. These may or may not be the cause of yours.

Plavix is a blood thinner as is Ginkgo biloba in Arches Tinnitus Formula. These should not be mixed unless under the supervision of your prescribing physician. There are no counter-indications but they are additive. Generally, a physician may lower the dosage of Plavix to compensate for the blood thinning properties of ginkgo. There are no other concerns with the medications you’re taking.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Josh,

I’m very happy Arches Tinnitus Formula has helped you. The crackling in your ear could likely be due to Eustachian tube dysfunction. This could also increase your tinnitus. Your Eustachian tube is most likely blocked, a condition called otitis media.

I recommend you see an Ear, Nose & Throat physician. Treatments are typically painless and non-invasive and revolve around use of a prescription nasal spray and an antihistamine.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Angela,

You have what is called somatic tinnitus. This is when signals from the body become entangled with auditory signals in an area of the brain called the dorsal cochlear nucleus. These signals can cause or worsen tinnitus. Two of the most common conditions that cause this are muscle spasm in the neck and TMJ dysfunction. Muscle spasms occur in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle which extends from the ear down to the neck and helps in turning the head. TMJ dysfunction is when the lower jaw is out of alignment with the skull at the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) below the ear. One of these is most likely the cause of worsening your tinnitus and they are both treatable.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Margaret,

I’m very happy you’ve had good results with our product.

Flying with tinnitus presents a couple of problems. One is the engine noise and the other is pressure changes. The pressure changes primarily affect people with head colds or allergies. An over-the-counter antihistamine should be very helpful but I don’t have any particular favorite. I try to chew some gum during takeoff and landing as this helps the ears to pop and equalizes pressure.

We published an article on flying with tinnitus that you may want to review. There are several helpful hints in it.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Esther,

Over-the-counter pain medications present a real problem for those of us with tinnitus. Most of them will cause an increase in tinnitus. Aspirin in small amounts is probably OK but may not provide enough relief. Acetaminophen, found in Tylenol, will not increase tinnitus but can be poisonous and hard on the liver if too much is taken. You have to carefully read the label and make absolutely certain you are not taking too much.

Something that may reduce the need for painkillers is fish oil containing omega 3. This fights inflammation naturally. I don’t know if you can completely stop taking pain medication but you can probably reduce the need for it.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Louise,

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is a poorly understood condition for which there is no standard therapy. Researchers believe that a third of afflicted people will completely recover, a third will partially recover and a third will not recover at all. Current thinking among ENTs is that SSNHL is auto-immune or viral in nature. That is why you received treatment for those possibilities.

However, there is evidence that circulatory problems may also be part of the problem. SSNHL patients have been shown to have a higher level of homocysteine and lower folic acid in their blood. High homocysteine allows plaque build-up in the arteries which slows circulation. Vitamins B-6, B-12 and folic acid are effective in reducing homocysteine. Ginkgo biloba has also been shown to be helpful in patients with SSNHL by means of increasing circulation within the inner ear.

We published an article on Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and possible treatment options. I urge you to read through this article and begin a treatment regimen with Arches Tinnitus Combo Pack which contain all the necessary B vitamins and a therapeutic dosage of our new Ginkgo Max 26/7. There is no certainty that it will help at this stage but there is a good possibility that it may.

Please let me know if this is helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear David,

I’m very sorry this happened to you. I agree that the tinnitus was most likely caused by whiplash; this is often the case. Most results from whiplash will resolve after a few months. You didn’t mention how long ago this happened so I cannot comment on whether you are inside this window.

Ginkgo biloba, found in Arches Tinnitus Formula as Ginkgo Max 26/7 can be very helpful in cases of whiplash and tinnitus. It brings more blood flow to the damaged area of the brain and helps heal tissues. It also calms the neuro-excitability of the damaged areas by antagonizing the effect of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a central role in tinnitus.

One common effect of whiplash is TMJ dysfunction. This is where the Temporo-Mandibular joint, which holds the jaw in place relative to the skull, is knocked out of alignment. This will definitely cause tinnitus. Your comment that it’s worse in the morning leads me to believe that, when sleeping, you are applying pressure on the joint, causing the tinnitus to worsen. The good news is, TMJ is treatable. Most treatments are painless and non-invasive and may amount to nothing more than a mouth guard at night.

Please read the above TMJ dysfunction article carefully. I believe it will give you hope for an improvement. At the end of the article is a link to the association of TMJ specialists, who come out of the dental profession, and a page where you can find a specialist in your area. I advise you to contact a TMJ specialist for an evaluation.

I hope this is helpful and your tinnitus improves greatly.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Chris,

Allergies, sinusitis and hearing loss will all cause tinnitus so we don’t know what the cause of yours may be. If it is allergies or sinusitis Arches Tinnitus Formula (with Ginkgo Max 26/7) may not be helpful. If the tinnitus is caused by hearing loss, it should be helpful. An audiologist can give you hearing tests that can determine the cause of tinnitus. If your tinnitus is at the frequency where hearing loss occurs, that is probably the cause.

And rest assured Ginkgo biloba will not your make tinnitus worse.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Doug,

Like you, I could not find any direct evidence that the ingredients in your supplement can cause tinnitus. However, Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid and is related to quinine. Quinine is known to cause or worsen tinnitus.

The real test for whether this supplement is causing the upswing in your tinnitus is to stop using it for a couple of weeks then start again. If your tinnitus goes down when you discontinue usage then increases when you start again, the supplement is definitely the cause.

We are all sensitive to different things and what holds true for one person may not for another. In my case, I cannot take a single low dose of Ibuprofen without sending my tinnitus through the roof for several hours. Other people don’t react to it this way.

Whatever caused the increase, Arches Tinnitus Formula can help to combat it. The Ginkgo biloba extract found in Arches Tinnitus Formula, Ginkgo Max 26/7, is neuroprotective and aids in preventing ototoxicity.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Renee,

Colds and sinus infections are common causes of tinnitus. This is referred to as otitis media and results in a blockage of the Eustachian tube. The result is negative pressure in the middle ear which causes fluids to pass through the membranes and fill the middle ear, hence the blocked feeling.

Treatment for otitis media, if it is not infected, can be as simple as a prescription nasal spray, such as Flonase, taken with an antihistamine. If the fluid becomes infected it is treated with antibiotics. It can take some time to clear it up so you should continue with the drops your doctor gave you. However, you may want to also discuss a nasal spray and antihistamine.

Unfortunately, Arches Tinnitus Formulas will not address otitis media and I don’t think they will be helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Randall,

Thank you for your message. The condition you refer to is known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity. This has been studied for years and no conclusive evidence has shown that this causes tinnitus. Nevertheless, people with subjective electromagnetic hypersensitivity, those who self-identified as being sensitive, had a higher percentage of tinnitus than control groups. The reasons for this remain unclear and it is possible that hypersensitive people share other conditions that may cause both electromagnetic hypersensitivity and tinnitus.

Not discounting your assertions, I believe working in a noisy factory for 41 years provides a much higher probability of contributing to your tinnitus than random electromagnetic radiation. Noise exposure is the single largest cause of tinnitus with fully 70% of tinnitus cases caused by continued exposure to loud noise.

Arches Tinnitus Formula (ATF) should be helpful for both you and your wife. Clinical studies on pharmaceutical grade ginkgo (e.g. Ginkgo Max 26/7 found in ATF) have shown it to reduce tinnitus and vertigo. Studies also show that starting treatment during early onset of tinnitus (within about 5 years) has better results than starting later.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Howard,

Our tinnitus formula may be helpful for your TMJ disorder, but you should have some direct therapy for it. Postural and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction caused tinnitus are part of somatic tinnitus. This is when signals from the body interfere with auditory signals in the brain and cause or worsen tinnitus. It is totally different from tinnitus caused by noise exposure or hearing loss. If the cause of the somatic tinnitus can be determined, it can be treated.

One of the main causes of somatic tinnitus is spasm in the sternocleidomastoid muscle. This is the large muscle on both sides of the neck that helps rotate the head. Spasm in this muscle will cause tinnitus. The other main cause is TMJ, which you mention. TMJ is caused by the misalignment of the skull and jaw at the temporo-mandibular joint. This is the joint where the jaw hinges onto the skull.

Either of these can cause tinnitus and both are treatable. Most treatment options include relaxing the muscles in the area causing the somatic reaction. Please read our article somatic tinnitus for a fuller understanding of the condition. Also, make sure to click on the TMJ link (above) which will take you to another article specifically dealing with TMJ. There are many treatment options for this and most are painless and non-invasive.

In both cases, Arches Tinnitus Formula can be a helpful co-treatment for the conditions. ATF increases blood flow and will help the affected muscles and clear toxins from them that are caused by the continued stress. It can also help heal the damage in the ear and reduce tinnitus.

Sincerely,
Barry Keate

Dear Pam,

I’m sorry you’ve haven’t seen any results to date using our product. The problem with ototoxic medications is pretty severe and Taxol is one of the worst offenders.

There are a couple of other supplements that could be helpful and both are very inexpensive. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter in the brain and counteracts glutamate which is an excitatory neurotransmitter. Glutamate is one of the primary causes of tinnitus. GABA, which can counter-balance glutamate, can be taken in a dosage of 750 to 1,500 mg two or three times daily. It may cause drowsiness so please be careful driving or operating equipment until you know how you react to it. You should probably start at the lower dose and move up as you’re able.

The other supplement is NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine). This is an antioxidant which scavenges free radicals from the body. It’s also helpful for neuropathy. There are no side effects from this and you can take 1,000 mg two or three times a day. You will not notice anything different.

As I mentioned, both of these are very inexpensive and can be found online or in most good health food stores.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Marilyn,

Acanya, a topical ointment used to control acne is combination of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin.  I believe acanya is mostly safe for people with tinnitus. It’s not on lists of ototoxic drugs that cause tinnitus  nor is either of the individual medications. However, there is at least one report of a young man who developed hearing loss and tinnitus using clindamycin. So while clindamycin is a potential cause for tinnitus, as a topical ointment and not an ingestible drug  so side-effects should be reduced.

You may wish to use it sparingly. If any indication of hearing loss or increased tinnitus appears, discontinue immediately and consult with your doctor.

You may also wish to use Arches Tinnitus Formula at the same time. Pharmaceutical-grade ginkgo has been shown to prevent cochlear damage from ototoxic medications.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear David,

You most likely have a mild case of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or mild concussion. These injuries often cause tinnitus and other side-effects. In mild cases the brain is able to recover and hopefully your tinnitus will resolve. A neurologist is the correct specialist to determine how much damage has been done.

Ginkgo biloba has been found to be helpful in restoring neuronal damage from traumatic brain injury. Our proprietary ginkgo, Ginkgo Max 26/7 is the primary ingredient in Arches Tinnitus Formula. I recommend 240 mg taken twice daily. Do not use ginkgo, without consulting you doctor, if you are on prescription blood thinning medications as ginkgo increases circulation and they can be additive.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Dan,

An 81 mg aspirin is not going to hurt. It takes a lot more than that to aggravate tinnitus. Coffee may or may not be an issue. Most people who stop coffee say it doesn’t change anything. Some say it does so you’ll have to be the judge.

The big problem is with salt. Salt constricts blood vessels, raising blood pressure and reducing flow. Salt can really increase tinnitus. If I have a salty meal, my tinnitus will increase for the rest of the day. You should reduce salt intake as much as possible.

The issue of pain relief for people with tinnitus is quite difficult. Please read our article on Pain Management and Tinnitus

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Hi Scott,

It’s very difficult for me to diagnose this from a distance. I’m not an ear doctor. I would hazard a guess that you may have a degree of conductive hearing loss as well as noise-induced hearing loss. It’s the conductive hearing loss you are affecting by moving your jaw.

Conductive hearing loss occurs when the sound is either blocked or not transmitted effectively to the inner ear. This can occur from Eustachian tube dysfunction, excessive earwax, damage to the eardrum or from otosclerosis, which is a fixing of the bones in the middle ear which conducts sound to the inner ear. This leads to an inappropriate bone growth around the base of the conducting bone. When the bones are fixed to their base, they don’t conduct as well. You can read about the difference between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss in our article Hearing Loss: An Overview.

You can read about otosclerosis in our article Stapedectomy for Otosclerosis.

When you move your jaw you are re-aligning the mechanisms of the inner ear and their relationship to the Eustachian tube. This is improving your high frequency hearing. I cannot say what the exact action is that helps hearing but I believe this is encouraging. If you can find why you have conductive hearing loss, you should be able to treat it and have improvement.

An Audiologist can tell the difference between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. I suggest you have an audiogram performed to look for conductive hearing loss. If you do have this, find an ENT who will work with you to determine the exact cause. Once found you can begin treatment.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Michael,

I’m sorry about your tinnitus. Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome is very real and must be conducted very slowly. The issue is that benzo medications fool the brain into thinking there is plenty of GABA so the brain stops manufacturing it. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for electrical inhibition in the brain. Without it glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter, predominates. Tinnitus is a side effect of excess glutamate. It takes a long time for the brain to reset itself and start producing GABA again.

One thing you can do is to start taking GABA supplements. These are very inexpensive and found online and in health food stores. A typical dose may be 750 mg twice daily. Be very careful as GABA can act like a benzo and produce a sedative effect. Be careful driving or operating equipment until you know how you react.

If 3-10mg of melatonin is helpful for you, please continue with it. In fact a clinical study recommended melatonin as one tool to improve tinnitus.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) frequently causes tinnitus. Fortunately, it is treatable by a trained dentist in this field. A quick home test for this is to stand in front of a mirror, take some time and completely relax your face. Then slowly open your mouth. If you have TMJ, your mouth will most likely open somewhat sideways, it won’t be straight up or down. This is not an absolute test and some TMJ may be present even if your mouth opens straight. It’s fairly accurate though.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Lola,

Thank you for your question. The tinnitus and headache are most likely linked; one is probably the cause of the other. Many headache sufferers, especially migraine headache, also experience tinnitus. If the headache can be treated, the tinnitus will most likely reduce or resolve.

Migraine headaches typically affect one side of the head, are pulsating in nature and last from 2 to 72 hours. They may also be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light or sound. If this is the case with you, you should see your doctor about treatment for migraine headache.

There are also other factors that can make the tinnitus bring on the headache. Stress and insomnia are commonly associated with the development of headaches. Temporomandibular Joint disorder (TMJ) is another possible cause of both tinnitus and headache. This is where the jaw is out of alignment with the skull and it can cause numerous and sometimes painful symptoms.

Another possible cause is idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Idiopathic means the cause is unknown and intracranial hypertension means high pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. This can cause both headache and tinnitus.

Ginkgo biloba is a common herb used for headache and tinnitus in Europe, especially Germany. The German Commission E (a scientific advisory board equivalent to our FDA) recommends Ginkgo biloba for both headache and tinnitus. You can read the Commission E Monograph on Ginkgo for Tinnitus.

Highly concentrated Ginkgo biloba is the primary ingredient in Arches Tinnitus Formula. It has been shown in clinical studies to help people with tinnitus if used continuously over time.

I recommend you visit your doctor for an examination of your headache. Depending on the outcome, you may want to use Arches Tinnitus Formula for both the headache and tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Virginia,

Thank you for sending in your question. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, controls how quickly the body burns energy, makes proteins and how fast the body responds to other hormones. Thyroid dysfunction, usually hypothyroidism, indicates a lowering of the thyroid hormones.

The side effects of hypothyroidism include lowered energy levels, increased sensitivity to pain, weight gain, depression and tinnitus. Tinnitus is generally present as a continuous sound. When hypothyroidism is controlled, either through synthetic hormones or natural thyroid medications including desiccated animal thyroid, the side effects generally improve and tinnitus will be reduced or completely resolved. Please read our article about hypothyroidism and tinnitus and pay attention to the section that discusses Armour thyroid medication.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Tom,

I’m sorry you have developed this condition. It is called hyperacusis and is the result of the brain not responding properly to incoming signals which causes loudness tolerance to collapse.

Wearing ear plugs to prevent hyperacusis from worsening is false security. Ear plugs can actually make hyperacusis worse. The practice allows people to develop a fear of sound and noise. The proper way to desensitize the ears is to provide them with sound therapy which will improve the threshold for sound tolerance over time. There are two primary ways to do this. One is with Tinnitus Retraining Therapy and the other is with pink noise. Both of these take time but they are effective in reducing hyperacusis.

Please read our article on hyperacusis for more detailed information.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jim,

You are  not alone. Weather-related changes can negatively impact certain types of tinnitus. Increased ringing in the ears due to atmospheric pressure changes indicates you may have either a sinus problems, allergies or Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD). These conditions can be treated once they are determined to be the case. You should see an ENT doctor for an examination and an audiologist for a hearing test. The audiologist will be able to differentiate between hearing loss caused by nerve damage and conductive hearing loss caused by sinus or allergies.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Madelyn,

You will have to see an audiologist to determine this. Sinus issues are considered conductive hearing loss and can be treated. Hearing loss due to damage to the inner ear is called sensorineural hearing loss. Audiological testing can determine the difference between the two.This type of hearing loss (often accompanied with tinnitus) cannot be cured, but can be helped by Arches Tinnitus Formula.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Theresa,

I’m terribly sorry this happened to you but there is good news. Shingles is not a permanent problem and begins to scab over and clear up in 3 to 5 weeks. It definitely causes hearing loss and tinnitus but as the infection ebbs, hearing loss and tinnitus generally do also. About 95% of people who experience hearing loss due to shingles will have complete recovery of their hearing and tinnitus should abate.

Taking Arches Tinnitus Formula (ATF) should help this process along. Our proprietary Ginkgo Biloba extract used in ATF, Ginkgo Max 26/7 is known to help prevent damage to the cochlea and auditory nerve and should help in recovery. It should also calm the auditory nerve and lead to reduced tinnitus.

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope Arches Tinnitus Formula is a great help for you.

Wishing you quiet times, Barry Keate

Dear Brian,

Structures in the head and neck frequently cause or influence tinnitus. I’m not an ear doctor and, even if I were, I cannot diagnose from an email. There are a few things here that may be at work. One is TMJ dysfunction, a misalignment of the jaw where it fits in with the skull at the temporo-mandibular joint. This is common after falls, accidents and sudden knocks on the head. One way you can see if this is the case is to stand in front of a mirror. Take some time to relax your face and body. Then slowly open your mouth. If it opens straight up and down, you probably don’t have this. But if it opens somewhat sideways, you do.

One place to start may be to consult a dentist specializing in TMJ. A local specialist can be found in the link at the end of the article. If this is not the case, a physical therapist may be able to help out.

Another possible cause is traumatic brain injury (TBI) or whiplash. Either of these can cause tinnitus and pain. This article is in two part; the second article on TBI can be seen here which discusses whiplash.

I hope you find relief. I feel if you can find the cause it will be treatable.

Wishing you quiet times, Barry Keate

Dear Peggy,

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

Stress and anxiety are the number 1 aggravator of existing tinnitus. Stress will take a level 2 or 3 tinnitus (on a scale of 10) and turn it into a 7 or 8 overnight. You must treat your daughter’s anxiety. There are numerous ways to do this. Please read our article on Stress and Tinnitus.

Back to hypothyroid. We also have an article about this that may be helpful. Your doctor will need to evaluate whether this is a problem for your daughter.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Irene,

The answer is yes. Cardiovascular disease and poor circulation can cause tinnitus because blood flow to the cochlea is reduced and the nerve cells responsible for hearing are not nourished properly.

Arches Tinnitus Formula with Ginkgo Max 26/7 can be helpful for this condition. It has several actions that help reduce tinnitus. One of these is increased blood flow to the micro-capillaries that feed blood supply to the inner ear. You should not take it if you are on prescription blood thinners as Ginkgo biloba is also a mild blood thinner and they can be additive.

Provided you are not taking prescription blood thinners, Arches Tinnitus Formula should be helpful for your condition. It must be used for 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 Ruben,

Hyperacusis is the collapse of sound tolerance by the brain. Everything sounds much louder than it really is. There is nothing you can take that will cure this. There are, however, several ways to bring it under control and reduce the discomfort. What you don’t want to do is avoid all sound, wear ear plugs or stay inside, avoiding sound. This provides a false security and leads to phonophobia, an overwhelming fear of sound.

Treatments such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy and pink noise therapy can be helpful.

Arches Tinnitus Formula can be helpful in lowering tinnitus, which often accompanies hyperacusis.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Marcia,

Diabetes and Hypothyroid are both common causes of tinnitus so I believe they may be the initial triggers of yours. However, all the medications you are taking also have the potential to cause tinnitus. I would not advise you to discontinue any of them; that is a decision for you and your doctor. But, you should discuss this with your doctor and see if you have some alternatives.

Arches Tinnitus Formula can be helpful in reducing this type of tinnitus and reversing some of the ototoxic effects of the medications.

The thyroid medications you mention, Thyrar, Nathroid and Westhroid, are all considered to be Armour Thyroid products. They have been safely used since the 19th century and were only replaced when synthetic drugs came out. There are far fewer side effects from Armour Thyroid than the synthetics. I recommend you discuss with your doctor the potential of changing this. Here is an article on Thyroid Dysfunction and Tinnitus.

Hearing your heartbeat in your ear is called pulsatile tinnitus. This is caused by turbulent blood flow in an artery close to the cochlea or the nerves leading to the auditory cortex. There are many possible causes of this condition. If the exact cause can be found, there is generally a treatment for it. I hope this is helpful and you can reduce your tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Perry,

I’m very sorry this happened to you. I know the discomfort of GERD (gastroesphageal reflux disease) and the severe heartburn it can cause. I have been taking omeprazol (trade name Prilosec) for years and, fortunately, it does not increase my tinnitus. It does for others however and you seem to be one of them. Taking Arches Tinnitus Formula may help keep the tinnitus down while you are using this medication.

Unfortunately, all medications for GERD have the potential to cause or worsen tinnitus. The real solution is to get to the root of the problem and prevent heartburn in the first place. Contrary to popular opinion, heartburn is not caused by an excess of stomach acid but by not having enough of it. Taking hydrochloric acid pills during meals can help but there are certain precautions you must take.

Neil Bauman, PhD, is an excellent source of knowledge about drugs that can cause tinnitus. He has a page on GERD and what can be done to reduce or eliminate it. He has listed 10 different strategies that can be utilized to combat GERD and everyone who has it should be aware of this.

I hope this is helpful for you.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Elaine,

I agree with your doctor; the blood pressure medications probably did not cause tinnitus. Although there is the potential for this to happen, the odds are quite low. I believe it is the accident itself. TMJ dysfunction is a common result of whiplash and it can frequently cause tinnitus.

There are other treatment options for the tinnitus. Acupuncture can be helpful for it and Ginkgo biloba has been shown to be helpful. We also have an informative article on how head and neck injuries cause tinnitus.

You should be checked for TMJ dysfunction. Specialists in this area are dentists with advanced training in the field. At the bottom of the previously cited article on TMJ and tinnitus, there is a link to the American Academy of Cranio Facial Pain. Inside their website is a way to find a specialist in your area. A TMJ specialist will be able to tell you whether you have this or not. If you do, treatment can begin immediately. Almost all treatment options are painless and non-invasive.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Kristi,

You may be experiencing Middle Ear Myoclonus in which a muscle inside the middle ear is in spasm. This can create several different kinds of sounds including something like static.

There are two muscles inside the ear. They are both attached to the bones of the middle ear that conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea. These muscles are protective; they tighten down when loud sounds are present and mute them. But when they are in spasm, they can create annoying sounds.

If this is the case, they can sometimes be heard by someone on the outside. An observant ENT may notice the eardrum vibrating. There are several treatments for this including a zygomatic hand pressure technique (see link above), anti-anxiety medications, acupuncture and biofeedback.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Veronica,

I’m very sorry for your pain and discomfort and hope it has been reduced or eliminated.

Opioids don’t cause tinnitus and paracetamol is just acetaminophen, the ingredient in Tylenol. Diclofenac lists tinnitus as a common side effect so I think this is likely the culprit here. Beeping monitors are not loud enough to cause hearing damage.

This is most likely a temporary condition and it should reduce over time. You can help it go down by taking antioxidants. I recommend Arches Tinnitus Formula, 2 capsules twice daily, and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). I don’t know if I recommended that after the MRI but NAC is a strong antioxidant and should help lower the sound level. NAC is very inexpensive and found in most health food stores. I would try 1,000 mg taken twice daily. Arches Tinnitus Formula will also help to lower the sound level. You may need to take both of these for a couple of months.

Whenever you take any unknown medication, it will be best if you use both of these beforehand. This will prevent toxic effects from the medication damage your hearing.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Hi David,

I cannot find any reference to Tamiflu causing tinnitus. This doesn’t mean that it didn’t cause your increase; many side effects aren’t discovered for a long time. It does mean, though, that it is not a powerful ototoxic drug or that would have been discovered by now.

I think you are pretty safe from any possible long-term damage if you continue with these antioxidants. Make sure you take 1,000 mg of NAC twice daily. Your tinnitus should decline after discontinuing the Tamiflu.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Frank,

Klonopin is often prescribed by doctors for sleep issues and is a benzodiazepine. It threw me initially and I had to investigate phenylalanine to find out just what it is. I still don’t know why the manufacturer included it with Klonopin but I have some information about it.

Aspartate and glutamate are both excitatory neurotransmitters. They are necessary for proper brain function but become dangerous when they predominate over the inhibitory neurotransmitters, primarily GABA.

Aspartame is made by the combination of aspartate and phenylalanine. Both are released during metabolism of aspartame. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. This means it is necessary for protein formation but cannot be manufactured in the body and must be obtained through food sources or by supplementation. Food sources for this are protein rich foods such as meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and beans.

In the body, phenylalanine is converted to another amino acid, tyrosine, which, in turn, is converted to dopamine and norepinephrine. These are key neurotransmitters that transmit signals between nerve cells.

Because some antidepressants work by raising levels of norepinephrine, phenylalanine has been tried as a possible treatment for depression. This may be why it is included with Klonopin.

Phenylalanine is available as a dietary supplement. The claim is it increases neurotransmitters that have anti-depressant qualities.

I think taking a small dose of phenylalanine with Klonopin will be fine and should not increase tinnitus. However, if you do begin to notice an increase in tinnitus levels you should consult your physician.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Yvonne,

Stress is the number-one aggravator of tinnitus, or whatever else bothers us, and will always make it worse.

The songs, rhythms and choirs you hear are called Musical Ear Syndrome. This almost always happens in those who have significantly impaired hearing. If the brain doesn’t get enough audio stimulation it makes up for it by creating or remembering other sounds. This can be helped by making sure you have enough sound input to put the brain to rest.

Your tinnitus can be helped with Arches Tinnitus Formula. It has been shown in clinical trials to be helpful for the majority of people who use it. It is especially helpful for those who have hearing loss accompanying their tinnitus. In this case we have a 75% to 80% success rate in reducing tinnitus loudness. It must be used for at least three months (four bottles) to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Starter Kit, a full three month supply at a $20 reduction below retail.

I hope this is helpful.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Rob,

When people have tinnitus that worsens with position, such as a nap, it is considered somatic tinnitus. This is where signals from the body interfere with audio signals and affect tinnitus. The two most common causes of somatic tinnitus are TMJ (temporomandibular joint) dysfunction and spasm of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). TMJ dysfunction occurs when the jaw is out of alignment with the skull. The SCM is a large muscle in the neck which helps turn the head. It starts below the ear and goes down to the neck area. Both are treatable conditions.

It may be when you take a nap, you are aggravating one of these conditions. If your head falls back it will stretch the SCM or stress the TMJ. One thing you may try is this: Instead of falling asleep in your chair, when you feel sleepy lay down on a couch or bed. This way you are mimicking the way you sleep and, hopefully, will not wake up to increased tinnitus.

TMJ can be treated by a dentist familiar with the condition. Spasm of the SCM can be treated by a physical therapist or by using a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit. These are fairly inexpensive and used extensively in hospitals to relax spasming muscles.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Heidi,

Hyperacusis or extreme sensitivity to sound can be a very thorny issue. Unfortunately, no noise cancellation technique, including ear plugs, will help dampen drills used in dental work. The sound is directly transmitted to the ear through bone conduction, which nothing can stop. The correct way to ensure hearing safety is to ask the dentist to take breaks every five seconds or so. The hair cells in the cochlea will be stressed by the drilling but not killed. They will have a chance to recuperate during the breaks. Please see our article Dental Issues and Tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Teresa,

Tinnitus does not cause Parkinson’s disease but they may be related. Excess glutamate in the auditory pathway causes glutamate excitotoxicity, which leads to tinnitus and other neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s. This relationship is outlined in our article on the basics of tinnitus.

Also, several years ago researchers were experimenting with implanted brain electrodes to control serious Parkinson’s symptoms. They found they could reduce the spasms of Parkinson’s and those patients who also had tinnitus experienced relief from the ringing sound. So the areas of the brain affected by both are very close together.

To date, there has been no causative relationship proven between the two conditions but treating one can often positively affect the other.

Arches Tinnitus Formula contains Ginkgo Max 26/7®, our trademarked ginkgo extract. This proprietary extract is high in bilobalide, a glutamate antagonist, so important for the reduction of tinnitus noise. It will probably be very helpful for your husband’s tinnitus and may help reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. It should be used along with any medication prescribed by his neurologist.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Karen,

Vestibular neuritis is an infection of the vestibular nerve. This commonly affects balance but generally does not include tinnitus. Labyrinthitis is a related infection of both the vestibular and cochlear nerve that affects balance and commonly does cause tinnitus. You most likely have labyrinthitis.

These infections are usually viral, not bacterial. They can be related to systemic infections in the whole body. These include herpes, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and some others. There are no specific tests to diagnose either of these conditions so diagnosis is usually made by examining the symptoms. Because the symptoms of these conditions can mimic other medical problems, a thorough examination is usually conducted to rule out other causes, such as stroke, head injury, cardiovascular disease, allergies, neurological disease and anxiety.

When other conditions have been ruled out, medications are often used to control balance issues, anxiety and nausea.

Most people will have resolution of the infection after a few weeks. It is possible the infection can hide for some time and come back later but, if it is treated successfully, no permanent damage occurs.

You should see an ENT specialist to formally diagnose and treat this condition.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Chris,

I’m sorry this happened to you. There is some good news that I’ll outline.

1 – Ototoxic means that the medication is toxic to the ears, specifically the hair cells in the cochlea that change vibrational sound to electrical signals. These hair cells do not die immediately but become weakened. Over time, if the toxicity is continued, they will die. If the toxicity is removed, they have the chance to recover. While ibuprofen does have the capacity to cause tinnitus, it is not extremely ototoxic and hopefully the damage to your ears will recover. This may take some time but there’s a good chance it will resolve or at least settle down at a lower level.

2 – The initial onset of tinnitus can be very stressful. The stress contributes to tinnitus and makes it sound much louder than it otherwise would. Over time, many people emotionally adjust to the idea of having tinnitus and the very adjustment makes for a reduction in the sound level. It is very important to try to reduce stress and be accepting of tinnitus without giving in to anxiety or depression. I know this is difficult in the early stages but it will make a significant, and positive, difference.

3 – In the event it is chronic, there are strategies to help cope with tinnitus. There are several therapies that can help you relax and reduce tinnitus. Stress reduction techniques include exercise, relaxation techniques, biofeedback and hypnotherapy. All of these have been clinically shown to reduce tinnitus and are outlined in our article.

4 – Arches Tinnitus Formula has also been shown in clinical studies to reduce tinnitus loudness for the great majority of people who use it. It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three month supply of four bottles. You can purchase them individually but the price of the Starter Kit is significantly reduced from the single bottle price, you save on shipping, and you don’t have to worry about running out during the critical three month period.

I hope this is helpful and your tinnitus resolves or reduces to a point where it is no longer bothersome.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Rob,

It’s difficult to diagnose this after an ENT has offered no help. However, it seems to me you may be experiencing Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), which is often accompanied by a loud “pop” or other noise, followed by muffled hearing and ear fullness. About 1/3 of these patients completely recover, another 1/3 have partial recovery and 1/3 do not recover.

I think it is imperative you begin Arches Tinnitus Formula immediately. The first ten days are crucial to recovery. Clinical studies show Arches Tinnitus Formula is very helpful for those who have tinnitus due to hearing loss. Approximately 75% to 80% of those patients have a significant reduction in sound levels or full recovery. It can take up to three months to get the full benefit so we recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full 100 day supply of four bottles.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Florence,

You may have two different contributors to your tinnitus. If you have hearing loss, this is the largest cause of tinnitus among sufferers. About 80% of people with tinnitus have it due to hearing loss. Arches Tinnitus Formula has been clinically shown to reduce tinnitus sound levels for the great majority of these people. Please see our article Do You Suffer from Tinnitus?

Pulsatile tinnitus is totally different and always due to turbulent blood flow rather than smooth blood flow. The causes of this are numerous but it can be treated successfully. It is necessary to know the exact cause for treatment to be effective. A vascular surgeon is the specialist to see for this. Please see our article on pulsatile tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Diane,

I’m very sorry this happened; it must be frightening. Pulsatile tinnitus is always due to turbulent blood flow in an artery or vein close to the cochlea. There are many possible causes of this, among which are; increased pressure on cerebrospinal fluid due to hypertension, atherosclerosis and hyperthyroidism. The proper specialist to see is a vascular surgeon who can examine the entire vascular system to find the cause.

The fact you took a Xanax and it helped may indicate hypertension as the cause of your pulsatile tinnitus.

You mention that your tinnitus changes sound frequently. I don’t know what this means. I don’t think you mean it changes frequency, probably just loudness. If it changes frequency, that is a different type of tinnitus. If it changes sound level often, it may be a form of somatic tinnitus. This is when signals from the body interfere with auditory signals and cause or worsen tinnitus. Somatic signals can originate in muscle spasm in the head or neck, dental problems or TMJ, where the jaw is misaligned with the skull at the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ). Any of these will cause tinnitus to fluctuate in intensity. It is possible you slept differently last night and twisted your neck.

Stress is also a huge aggravator of tinnitus. If you can relax you may find the sounds decrease.

I hope this is helpful and your bad morning improves greatly.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Rockne,

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

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

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

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

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

This will be the subject of our next article in the March 2017 issue of Quiet Times.

Wishing you quiet times, Barry Keate

Dear Chris,

Thanks for sending in this question. It is a very important one and deserves a close look.

Hearing loss is most likely the cause of your tinnitus. There are two types of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted through the eardrum and the small bones in the middle ear to the cochlea. The most common causes of conductive hearing loss are: fluid in the middle ear from colds, allergies or infection; otosclerosis, perforated eardrum, or impacted earwax.

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the hair cells in the cochlea or to the auditory nerves that connect the inner ear to the brain. This happens in the majority of cases of hearing loss. The most prevalent causes of sensorineural hearing loss are: noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, viruses, various diseases, head trauma, aging and tumors.

The two can be distinguished by means of an audiogram. This article link shows audiograms from fluid build-up in the middle ear, age-related hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss. It clearly shows the differences in these three conditions.

So, you can tell what is happening by visiting an ear doctor or an audiologist and have a hearing test conducted. Then you can look at treatment options.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Theresa,

I’m terribly sorry this happened to you but there is good news. Shingles is not a permanent problem and begins to scab over and clear up in 3 to 5 weeks. It definitely causes hearing loss and tinnitus but as the infection ebbs, hearing loss and tinnitus generally do also. About 95% of people who experience hearing loss due to shingles will have complete recovery of their hearing and tinnitus should abate.

Taking Arches Tinnitus Formula should help this process along. Our higher potency Ginkgo biloba in ATF is known to help prevent damage to the cochlea and auditory nerve and should help in recovery. It should also calm the auditory nerve and lead to reduced tinnitus.

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope Arches Tinnitus Formula is a great help for you.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear Gayle,

I did a little research and found that cobalt does indeed cause hearing loss and tinnitus. Cobalt can be chelated out of the system. Perhaps that is what you mean by a revision. There is no research I can find about whether or not tinnitus is reduced after chelation, or revision. If you have sensorineural hearing loss from the cobalt, this means nerve damage and is probably permanent. One way to find out is by having an audiologist give you a hearing test. Audiograms can tell if the hearing loss is there and, if so, if it is sensorineural or caused by something else. Our article, Hearing Loss: An Overview will show you how the audiograms differ and what they mean.

Even if it is sensorineural hearing loss, there are many therapies that can be helpful. Millions of us have this condition. I developed sensorineural hearing loss from loud noise in the military and have had tinnitus for the last 50 years. Most people adapt to a certain degree and over time the tinnitus doesn’t bother them as much. Please know that the stress caused by tinnitus is the greatest aggravator of it and will always make it worse. If stress can be reduced, tinnitus is reduced.

Helpful therapies include acupuncture, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, biofeedback and hypnotherapy. You can read about these therapies in our Tinnitus Library. There is a search engine there where you can look up the articles.

Arches Tinnitus Formula was developed specifically for tinnitus caused by sensorineural hearing loss and has been clinically shown to be helpful for the great majority of these patients. It can be used in conjunction with any of the above therapies. It takes up to three months to get the full benefit of the product so we recommend the Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a three-month supply.

Another article, The Science Behind the Product discusses the exact scientific basis of Arches Tinnitus Formula and how it works.

I hope this is helpful for you and you can reduce the sound level.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate

Dear David,

As you probably know, Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH) refers to a leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. If the fluid and resulting pressure impact the vestibular canals in the inner ear, hearing loss, vertigo and tinnitus can occur.

SIH is quite rare, occurring in 1 in 50,000 people per year. It can be brought on by connective tissue disorders, trauma, even vigorous exercise. In most cases, however, the cause is unknown. Many cases spontaneously resolve. If not, medical management that includes bed rest, caffeine restriction and oral hydration may be sufficient to reduce symptoms.

Medical procedures such as an epidural blood patch or another type of fibrous sealant can be used to close the area of leakage. Surgical repair is rarely required.

After resolution of the leak, abnormalities improve within days to weeks. Hearing loss and tinnitus should also decrease.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jeff,

I don’t think having hairs plucked will cause tinnitus. You may still have some infection in the middle ear. This will cause tinnitus but it should clear as the infection goes away.

On the other hand, Type II Diabetes is also a major cause of tinnitus. One study showed at least 84% of people with tinnitus had a sugar metabolism issue, either insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes, or diabetes itself. When they went on a diet suitable for diabetics, the great majority had improvement or complete resolution of their tinnitus over a 2-year period.

Here’s an article on how insulin resistance and diabetes cause tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Daniel,

There are a couple of problems that could be causing this. You mention jaw pain. This is often caused by TMJ dysfunction, where the jaw is out of alignment with the skull. Tinnitus is a common side effect of TMJ. A dentist knowledgeable in the field can pretty easily determine if you have or don’t have TMJ. If you do, a simple bite guard usually helps re-align the jaw and reduces symptoms.

The other possibility is you have suffered whiplash sometime in the past. This knocks the top two vertebrae, C1 and C2, out of alignment. This can impinge on the hearing nerve and cause tinnitus. It can also cause a stiff neck. In this case, an Upper Cervical Chiropractor can help. Do not rely on a regular chiropractor. Upper Cervical specialists have extra training in this.

There are many Upper Cervical Chiropractors and knowledgeable dentists in the LA area. I’m sure you can find competent people there.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear John,

This sounds like it may be Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) which causes hearing loss, a feeling of fullness, and sometimes vertigo.

It is important to get treatment as soon as possible. Many people recover from this, some partially recover and others not at all. It is best if it’s treated within 10 days of onset. I advise you to begin taking N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) immediately in the dosage of 1,000 mg taken twice daily. NAC is an inexpensive antioxidant found in most health food stores. It helps protect nerves and neural pathways in the auditory system.

You should also begin using Arches Tinnitus Formula, Arches Stress Formula and Arches B12 Formula. These three products combine in Arches Combo Pack. They have been found in clinical studies to provide nutrients that support the underlying conditions leading to this condition and can reverse it in many cases.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Kat,

An aneurysm, as you probably know, is a weakening of an artery, usually in the brain, that leads to a large bulge in the artery wall. If the bulge ruptures, it is known as a hemorrhagic stroke. People with non-aneurysmic bleeding have a much better prognosis than those with a ruptured aneurysm. About 20% of those with non-aneurysmic bleeding suffer from hearing loss, which generally causes tinnitus.

The hearing loss and tinnitus may be caused by increased pressure on the auditory or vestibular nerves. Hopefully, when this pressure abates the tinnitus will reduce as well.

I don’t think you are a candidate for Arches Tinnitus Formula as the Ginkgo biloba in the formula is a mild blood thinner. This may increase the risk of further bleeding.

Craniosacral therapy involves the gentle manipulation of the bones of the head, spinal column and sacrum. The object is to reduce pressure and alleviate pain and dysfunction. This may be a good therapy to try. I should caution that the bleed must be healed before trying this. There is a slight chance that it could be affected by the slight pressure changes brought on by craniosacral therapy.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Eva,

Yes, your collision probably did cause your tinnitus. There are two ways it may have happened.

1 – You had whiplash. This knocks the top two vertebrae, C1 and C2 out of balance. They can impinge on hearing nerves causing tinnitus. In this case an upper cervical chiropractor can be helpful. These are specialists in the upper cervical area and should not be confused with regular chiropractors.

2 – The impact caused TMJ dysfunction. This happens when the jaw is out of alignment with the skull and can be the result of accidents. In this case a dentist familiar with TMJ can be helpful. They will give you a mouth guard that re-aligns the jaw and skull.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Matt,

Grinding your teeth is most probably the cause of your tinnitus. This is called bruxism and it is one of the primary causes of Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) dysfunction. TMJ will usually cause tinnitus. The good news is, bruxism is a habit and as such, it can be unlearned. There are several therapies to reduce the clenching or grinding of teeth that are pretty effective.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Lisa,

An 81 mg aspirin taken daily will not cause tinnitus. It takes a lot more aspirin to actually cause it.

Xanax, on the other hand, commonly cause tinnitus in up to 10% of people who use it. There are other dangers as well. Xanax is addicting and causes dependence. Over a period of time, you must take a higher dosage to get the same effect. If you do not increase the dosage you can actually be withdrawing from it at the same time you are taking it.

Withdrawal from Xanax and other benzodiazepine medications often causes tinnitus and numerous other neurological conditions. It must be withdrawn from at a very slow rate to minimize the side effects. Here is an article on Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jillian,

I’m very sorry to hear this. Shingles that affects the ear is known as Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. This can cause pain, hearing loss, vertigo and tinnitus.

You do not want to have surgery to cut the auditory nerve. People have done this and lost their hearing but had the tinnitus remain. Then tinnitus is the only thing they hear.

Arches Tinnitus Formula may help to reduce the sounds. It 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 Starter Kit, a full three-month supply of four bottles.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Starr,

Ginkgo biloba may help. CVA refers to Cardiovascular Accident, usually an ischemic stroke, where blood supply is cut off to an area of the brain. This damages neurons and can cause numerous neurological side effects, such as tinnitus.

A clinical study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebral Vascular Disease shows ginkgo “protects against stroke-related neurological deficits in human subjects.”

Our pharmaceutical-grade Ginkgo Max 26/7® is a primary ingredient in Arches Tinnitus Formula. It should not be taken with prescription blood thinners, such as Coumadin, without the prescribing physician’s understanding and approval. If a prescription blood thinner is being taken, it can be reduced to compensate for the blood thinning effects of ginkgo. There are no other interactions besides being additive.

Ginkgo is great brain food. It should be taken for at least three months to get the full benefit. We recommend Arches Tinnitus Starter Kit, a full 100 day supply of four bottles.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Randy,

Lyme disease often causes tinnitus. This is the first time I’ve heard of it causing pulsatile tinnitus, which is due to turbulent blood flow.

Fortunately, there is a new treatment for Lyme disease. It involves the use of Stevia extract, the plant based sugar substitute. Initial studies show the extract kills the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease more effectively than antibiotics. See an article on Lyme disease and this new treatment.

Hopefully, this new treatment will resolve the pulsatile tinnitus. If not, you should send your family member to a vascular surgeon for diagnosis. Once the exact cause of the turbulence is found, cure rates are high. Here’s an article on pulsatile tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear David,

This is a very interesting question. Parkinson’s disease and tinnitus seem to operate on different neural pathways but there are similarities. Parkinson’s disease is due to insufficient dopamine in the brain, while tinnitus is due to insufficient GABA. Both are neurotransmitters that operate on different brain receptors so, superficially, there is no connection.

However, there can be an underlying connection. Many years ago scientists were studying deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s. This involves the placement of electrodes in the brain that stimulate the motor neurons to reduce symptoms. They found that those Parkinson’s patients who also had tinnitus reported their tinnitus symptoms significantly reduced when the electrodes were powered on. Deep brain stimulation is now routinely used for advanced Parkinson’s disease and should help tinnitus also.

Also, researchers in Taiwan recently studied 5,000 patients over the age of 65 with hearing loss. They compared them with 20,000 people without hearing loss. They found the people with hearing loss were 1.77 times more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than those without hearing loss. The researchers stated that dopamine, the absence of which causes Parkinson’s, helps protect the cochlea from noise exposure. Inadequate dopamine can thus lead to hearing loss and tinnitus.

So, the two conditions are different but somewhat intertwined. Parkinson’s can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus but doesn’t need to if dopamine medication is taken.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear James,

Unfortunately, Motrin (ibuprofen) can cause tinnitus. It also causes hearing loss, which leads to tinnitus. My own personal experience is even a low dose Motrin causes my tinnitus to spike. I use Tylenol when I need pain relief. That also presents a problem because Tylenol is essentially liver poison and too much of it can be life threatening. Tylenol must be used at a dosage that is no higher than that listed on the label. This is an upper limit of 3,000 mg per day.

Most NSAID pain relievers have the possibility of causing tinnitus. This does not mean everyone who uses them will get tinnitus but the potential is there. Other methods of pain relief include acupuncture, biofeedback, yoga and topical capsaicin. You may want to read our article on safe and effective pain management for people living with tinnitus.

An upper cervical chiropractor may be helpful for your tinnitus. During injuries like whiplash, hearing nerves can become pinched by the upper vertebrae. An upper cervical chiropractor can relieve this pressure and reduce tinnitus. Upper cervical chiropractors are a specialist in the chiropractic field and should not be confused with regular chiropractors.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Gary,

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

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

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

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

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

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jim,

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

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

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

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

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Jeanne,

Thank you for your question; it is one frequently asked by people with tinnitus. The truth is, tinnitus does not cause hearing loss but hearing loss causes tinnitus. Many people think tinnitus is making their hearing worse. This is not the case. Continued hearing loss makes tinnitus worse.

Exact numbers vary but some estimates are that as high as 90% of people with tinnitus have it as the result of hearing loss. This can be caused by aging or exposure to noise, either a single large explosive event or years of exposure to loud noise. There are also a number of disease conditions and medications that are toxic to the ears that can cause tinnitus.

You may want to view our article that describes how noise exposure leads to damage of the hair cells in the cochlea and how this translates to the ringing sound most of us hear as tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Hemant,

Tinnitus is definitely related to blood sugar levels and is most likely the cause of yours spikes. Type 2 Diabetes and hyperinsulinemia are a common cause of tinnitus and reducing blood sugar levels will reduce or eliminate tinnitus.

Hyperinsulinemia is when the body becomes insensitive to the insulin produced in the pancreas. This leads to higher blood sugar levels. It is the first step on the slippery slope to Type 2 Diabetes. One clinical study showed that up to 92% of tinnitus patients have this condition.

Type 2 Diabetes and hyperinsulinemia can be controlled by diet and exercise. I believe this is the course you should adopt before going onto insulin. It takes time but it works.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Bob,

This sounds like somatic tinnitus. That’s when signals from the body (somatic signals) interfere with auditory signals, causing tinnitus. The most common cause of this is TMJ dysfunction. That’s when the jaw is out of alignment with the skull at the TMJ joint. Ask your wife to sit facing you. Take a minute for her to completely relax, then ask her to slowly open her jaw. If she has TMJ, it won’t open straight up and down but will be a little sideways. If this is the case, a dentist familiar with TMJ can make her a mouth guard which will align the jaw with the skull.

If that’s not the case, it is probably a spasm of a muscle in the neck, called the SCM. A physical therapist can help with calming this. There are other causes as well. Here’s an article on somatic tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Linda,

There are over 300 prescription and over-the-counter medications that cause tinnitus. Whether your tinnitus will recover depends on how toxic the medication is and how long you have taken it. If the medication has stressed the hair cells in the cochlea, it can be temporary and withdrawing will help. If the hair cells are stressed to the point they are dead, tinnitus is permanent. So there is no clear answer to your question.

Some low toxicity medications like aspirin and ibuprofen may not cause permanent damage. Others, like some chemotherapy drugs, cause permanent damage almost immediately.

Even though tinnitus may be permanent, there are ways to reduce the intensity and aggravation of it. Arches Tinnitus Formula can help in this case.

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

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Susan,

There are many possible causes of ear fullness, tinnitus and muffled hearing. The MRI you received is a routine test to determine if there is an acoustic neuroma present. Acoustic neuroma is a rare, benign, slow growing tumor that occurs on the hearing nerve. An MRI wouldn’t necessarily show other causes of your symptoms.

Among the most common, and easily treated, causes of ear fullness is Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. This is where the eustachian tube is blocked due to allergies, colds and flu or infections. Another, more serious cause, could be Meniere’s disease, in which the fluid in the vestibular (balance) system builds up and causes pressure and balance problems, along with ear fullness and tinnitus. We have an article on the most common causes of ear fullness you should read.

There is another cause not listed in the article. This is TMJ dysfunction, where the lower jaw is out of alignment with the skull. This can be due to accidents, falls, grinding teeth or other causes. Common symptoms are pain, ear fullness and tinnitus. This can be treated by a dentist trained in TMJ.

I recommend you see an ENT specialist for a complete workup to determine the cause. These conditions are treatable. If this doesn’t reveal anything relevant, you should see the surgeon who performed the neck fusion to see if this is causing your symptoms.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Cathy,

What you say is mostly but not wholly correct.

Tinnitus is a brain disorder. It is due to hyperactivity in the auditory cortex. But what causes this hyperactivity? It is generally caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear. When these cells are damaged, they release high amounts of glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that causes the hyperactivity. This is one reason Arches Tinnitus Formula is helpful; it contains a high level of Bilobalide, which is a glutamate antagonist.

It is not tinnitus that leads to cognitive decline and dementia but hearing loss, which most often accompanies tinnitus. Many people have hearing loss without tinnitus. This results in cognitive impairment. People who have tinnitus without hearing loss do not have cognitive impairment.

Hearing loss inhibits input to the brain, as does uncorrected eyesight. Without proper input, areas of the brain degenerate and the brain actually shrinks, leading to dementia. Most people with poor eyesight wear glasses but the majority of those with hearing loss do not wear hearing aids. I recommend hearing aids to people even though they may not help their tinnitus. Hearing aids help keep the brain active and alert.

Parkinson’s disease can lead to hearing loss. Parkinson’s is due to inadequate levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine protects the inner ear from noise exposure so inadequate levels can lead to cochlear damage and hearing loss due to noise exposure. This can also lead to tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Dorinda,

I wouldn’t worry about this too much. This is a normal occurrence, especially among older folks. As we age our ears wear out and we suffer various degrees of hearing loss, which is responsible for tinnitus.

If you want to limit this from occurring in the future, I recommend 1,000 mg daily of NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine). NAC is a very inexpensive anti-oxidant found in most health food stores. It protects hearing and is extremely healthy to take. It inhibits free radical damage throughout the cells in the body. There are no side effects from using it.

If this does occur more regularly in the future, please email me and I will recommend our product, Arches Tinnitus Formula, which is effective in reducing tinnitus.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate

Dear Aideen,

There are good ENTs and not so good ENTs. I’m surprised yours didn’t offer you any anti-dizziness medication, at the least. Answering one of your questions, yes I think Arches Tinnitus Formula can help and the Combo Pack perhaps more so. Here’s an article on Meniere’s disease and how ginkgo, the primary ingredient in ATF, can help.

I think an upper cervical chiropractor is really worth investigating. Lately, it’s been found that Meniere’s can be caused by pinched nerves in the top-most vertebrae and those who practice upper cervical chiropractic can help, in some cases dramatically. Here’s an article about how this new treatment works on Meniere’s disease.

Finally, stress hits us at our weakest point and will make any malady worse. This is especially true with Meniere’s and tinnitus. If you can reduce your stress, both conditions should improve.

Wishing you quiet times,
Barry Keate