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The Role of Zinc in Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
There has long been a suspicion that zinc deficiency may play a role in age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) which is the most common cause of tinnitus.
As recently as 2009, the National Institutes of Health, through its website, ClinicalTrials.gov, stated that "there is widespread belief and some evidence to indicate that zinc can successfully treat tinnitus."
Studies sanctioned by the NIH are currently investigating the possible benefits of zinc supplements in the treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss.
Research supports the possibility that upwards of 69% of tinnitus sufferers may be zinc deficient. Researchers at the University of Iowa are conducting clinical trials with zinc supplements in tinnitus sufferers.
Serenity Tinnitus Relief contains zinc gluconate as one of its three natural ingredients to aid in the relief of tinnitus symptoms. This is an amino acid chelated form of zinc to aid in the body's absorption of the mineral.
Much more information is available at Serenity Tinnitus Relief.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD, FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
Caffeine and Tinnitus
It has been traditionally believed that tinnitus symptoms were made worse by caffeine. Imagine the surprise when a recent study indicated that caffeine DID NOT make tinnitus worse.
Researchers from Bristol University in the united Kingdom recruited 66 volunteers with tinnitus, who usually consumed at least150mg of caffeine per day from tea or coffee. For 30 days, they wereeither given their usual caffeine consumption followed by phasedwithdrawal, or phased withdrawal followed by reintroduction then usualcaffeine consumption.
Participants were not told when they were given caffeine and whenthey were given placebo. A brief record of tinnitus symptoms andcaffeine withdrawal symptoms was kept twice per day, and the TinnitusQuestionnaire was completed at three time points during the study: atthe start, on day 15, and on day 30, in order to measure the effect ofwithdrawal. Results appear in the International Journal of Audiology.
“Caffeine had no effect on tinnitus severity,” the researchersstate. They report that the mean difference between caffeinated anddecaffeinated days was less than half a per cent on the TinnitusSeverity index.
While the participants had significant adverse symptoms fromcaffeine withdrawal, “no evidence was found to justify caffeineabstinence as a therapy to alleviate tinnitus,” they write.While this seems a well-designed study, it is the only one and needs to be corroborated. But, it would seem that if you REALLY need that caffeine fix, it's probably all right to try and carefully monitor your tinnitus symptoms.
Well, Serenity Tinnitus Relief has now been on the market for a year and sales are increasing with many repeat users. I've been taking the ingredients for over two years and would never stop taking it. It really works for me.
Much more information is available at Serenity Tinnitus Relief.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD, FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
Nutritional Supplements for Tinnitus
Last month I attended the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery in San Diego. This is the representative body of Ear, Nose and Throat specialists in the United States and also represents many international ENT specialists.
There were only two nutritional supplements for tinnitus relief exhibited: Arches Tinnitus Formula and Serenity Tinnitus Relief.
Both supplements contain ginkgo biloba and zinc which have been shown in some studies to aid in the relief of tinnitus symptoms. Serenity Tinnitus Relief is different and unique in that it also contains St. John's wort.
St. John's wort is an herbal antidepressant which has been widely demonstrated to be as effective as many prescription antidepressant drugs in relieving the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Prescription antidepressant drugs have become mainstream therapy in the treatment of tinnitus. The addition of St. John's wort to Serenity Tinnitus Relief addresses this mainstream approach to the relief of tinnitus symptoms with herbal natural supplements, avoiding the side effects and risks associated with prescription drug alternatives.
Much more information is available at Serenity Tinnitus Relief.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD, FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
One of the Latest Promising Treatments
A promising new therapy has made its way from Australia to the States. The Callier Center for Communication Disorders at University of Texas at Dallas (this is where I went to school) is one of about 200 medical centers offering Neuromonics, a treatment device for tinnitus developed by an Australian audiologist, Dr. Paul Davis.
This is very interesting stuff. A nice article is here:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2009-05-21/music/hear-no-evil
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
Neurostimulation
There is some promising new research going on by a company called Silere Medical. It deals with the use of electrical neural stimulators to treat hearing and balance disorders. Their first project seems aimed at those people suffering from particularly severe tinnitus.
Cross your fingers. This could ultimately become an additional effective tool to help sufferers of severe and intractable tinnitus. More information sheet available here:
Neurostimulation - Silere Medical
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
Acupuncture and Tinnitus
Next, let's touch on one of the more controversial topics in alternative therapy for tinnitus: Acupuncture.
Like many alternative therapies for specific conditions, one can usually find support for their own position if one looks hard enough. The point is to dig through all the information that's out there and try to arrive at a semblance of objectivity. In some cases that can be very difficult to do, and I believe that the subject of acupuncture in the treatment of tinnitus is one of those areas.
Let me summarize the available data: if one looks at the Chinese medical research literature, one can find a host of studies supporting the view that acupuncture is successful in treating tinnitus. It's a different story in the Western research literature where it is difficult to find support for the use of acupuncture in the treatment of tinnitus.
However, there's more to it. There is a study out of the prestigious Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary indicating that tinnitus arising directly from a disorder of the head and upper neck through activation of the somatosensory system may respond to acupuncture. The "classic" example being temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ).
It's fascinating stuff and reinforces that all sufferers of tinnitus should undergo a complete evaluation to determine the treatment best suited to them.
If you would like to read more, here is the PMID: 17956783 (PubMed indexed for Medline).
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
Alternative Therapy for Tinnitus - Ginkgo Biloba
Let's begin to explore alternative therapies for tinntus. By alternative therapy we mean those treatments or interventions that are not the typical therapies usually associated with mainstream medicine such as surgery or prescription drugs. A word of caution—some causes of tinntus may be medically treatable and even curable. Anyone developing tinntitus should see their health care professional prior to embarking on alternative therapies.
Alternative therapy in the form of dietary and nutritional supplements is widely practiced for many of the chronic conditions that plague us. We are bombarded by ads about this or that supplement that may help our joints, our prostate, help us sleep better, give us more energy, or relieve our stress. Many people would rather use a natural ingredient than a prescription drug if possible. Natural supplements, properly used, are generally considered to be safe and there is growing evidence that some of these supplements really do work as claimed. Unfortunately, the market for these substances is often abused by scam artists claiming to cure every known ill. Whether for tinnitus or some other condition, do your homework and research what you are taking. Make sure there is real evidence that it may work as claimed and how to safely use it.
Ginkgo biloba is one of the most widely studied herbal products. Currently, it is probably marketed more for the claim that it may serve to improve the memory than for any other reason. However, there are medical studies that show it may be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of tinnitus in some persons. The information page for Ginkgo biloba on the Serenity Tinnitus Relief web site provides the abstract and references for some of these studies. Please look them over and become an informed consumer.
Another word of caution—Ginkgo biloba may have an anticoagulant effect. If you are taking any prescription anticoagulant drugs, consult with your health care professional before using Ginkgo biloba.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
A most important point!
As an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist (otolaryngologist), I have been treating people with tinnitus for over 26 years. A most important point which must be discussed is that of the person's attitude and emotional approach to the diagnosis of tinnitus.
I know, from my own experience, that the constant ringing in the ears can be a tremendous source of stress and anxiety and can be very depressing. How one approaches these emotions is very important in how they will deal with their tinnitus.
Some people give up immediately and doom themselves to deep levels of anxiety and depression from the very beginning. Others will try at first to seek help for their tinnitus and, being unable to find any, will also fall into the vicious cycle of anxiety, stress, and depression. It's a vicious cycle because these negative feelings will likely make the tinnitus more difficult to deal with.
It is very important for people suffering from tinnitus, like anyone suffering from a chronic medical condition, to maintain a positive attitude. Emotions do affect our state of health. Although, in general, tinnitus is not curable, there is help available. The earlier blog post, How can tinnitus be treated?, mentions many of these available treatments which we will later discuss one-by-one.
We have a remarkable ability affect our state of health and sense of well-being via our emotional state of mind. A positive and optimistic outlook will do wonders in our ability to deal with and adapt to the symptoms of tinnitus.
Serenity Tinnitus Relief is unique in that it is the only herbal supplement made for the treatment of tinnitus that contains St. John's Wort. Many studies have shown that St. John's Wort is as effective as prescription drugs in its ability to treat the symptoms of depression and to improve one's mood.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
How can tinnitus be treated?
First, fair warning that the question "How can tinnitus be treated?" cannot be adequately addressed in a single blog entry. This will be a topic that we'll keep coming back to on multiple occasions.
I must begin with a brutal truth: for most causes of tinnitus there is no cure. Having said that, many persons have achieved varying degrees of help with the available treatments and live satisfied and productive lives with their tinnitus. I am one of those people! So, first and most important, there is hope!
The most important point of this particular blog post is that there are some medical conditions which can cause tinnitus which are treatable. For this reason, it is very important that anyone suffering from tinnitus see their doctor. It would be a tragedy to suffer from this condition and later find out that it was a simple ear wax buildup, a drug side effect, high blood pressure, or a hormonal imbalance which could have been treated. There are also very serious conditions that can cause tinnitus (fortunately they are relatively uncommon) such as nervous system tumors. So, again, if you suffer from tinnitus make sure to have a medical evaluation to be sure that your tinnitus is not due to a serious condition.
The available treatment options for tinnitus as listed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery include: alternative treatments, hearing aids, electrical stimulation, cognitive therapy, drug therapy, sound therapy, and TMJ treatment.
Well, that's a lot, and we will spend a considerable amount of time reviewing all of those as time goes on.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition in which one hears noises in their ears when there are no corresponding noises in their environment. These noises are often described as ringing, humming, buzzing, static, crickets, or similar.
Tinnitus can be caused by many things. Sometimes something as simple as a wax buildup in the ears can cause tinnitus. Ear infections or other ear conditions which may be medically treatable may also cause tinnitus. Some medical conditions such as high blood pressure, allergies, drug side-effects, hormonal disturbances, or even tumors can cause tinnitus. For this reason, all persons with tinnitus should consult with their doctor to rule out treatable or serious conditions.
The most common cause of tinnitus is injury to the inner ear hearing nerve. This does not necessarily imply injury due to an illness or accident. In fact, the most common type of injury to the inner ear nerve is the normal degeneration process which occurs in all of us as we age. This is called presbycusis and is the most common cause of tinnitus. It has been estimated that one-third or more of persons in their sixties or older will suffer from tinnitus due to the aging process.
Another common cause of inner ear nerve injury is noise exposure. Unfortunately, this is becoming more frequent in our loud world.
Stay tuned for more...
Alexander J. Lozano, MD FACS
Serenity Tinnitus Relief
