I know we have a lot of tinnitus sufferers on here. I'm reading where acupuncture has been successful in treating it. One of our local hospital clinics offers it. I have inquired about it and am waiting for someone to call me back. Don't think insurance or Medicare will pay for it. Don't know how much the treatments cost or how many treatments it takes but if it's within my means I will give it a try.

Someone on one of the hunting forums I frequent says he personally knows five people who have done it and have all had good results. Does anyone here have any input or have tried it?

Following this thread as I suffer significantly. My local Ear/Nose/Throat specialist/surgeon told me last week that as of right now there is no “medical” cure but he is not one that would recommend acupuncture.

Where would they place the needles?

I curious now as I suffer tinnitus and have for as long as I can remember.

Interesting!
I was in my Doc's office years ago with back muscle spasms. He precribeda muscle relaxer and recommended acupuncture. When he said he did acupunture I looked at him a bit funny. His name is Dr Yu, and he said" F_L, I went to medical school in China. We studied all the alternate medicines." It worked great on my back. I'll ask him about tinitus. I have it pretty bad.

I doubt I will hear back from the clinic until Monday now. But here is some more good information I found on it. A study that is posted in the National Library Of Medicine.
My eyes glazed over reading much of it but this is the hopeful part.

quote:

Conclusions:
Acupuncture is effective in reducing the loudness and severity of tinnitus and can be a useful treatment for nonpulsatile chronic tinnitus.

There is a picture contained in the link of a guy with needle placement for tinnitus treatment. Don't look like much fun!

There is a HUGE amount of money being made from various tinnitus "cures."


None of them work.....NONE!!

I've had some success with supplements. Vit D, Mg, Tuarine. And reducing caffeine and chocolate helps.

If the tinnitus is service connected the VA will grant a 10 percent service connected disabiliity. They will cover hearing aids if needed. There is no cure for tinnitus but some have claimed that hearing aids help. Lots of sham cures out there.

Mine sounds like a bunch of Locusts shrilly chirping on a summer day. They started about 1980, than quit for a few years and have been back ever since......

quote:

Originally posted by kyoung:
Mine sounds like a bunch of Locusts shrilly chirping on a summer day. They started about 1980, than quit for a few years and have been back ever since......

This is the exact description I used to help my wife understand what I hear 24/7.

I recently found that taking Claratin or Allegra, not the “D” makes mine even worse. Guess removing the extra fluid in my inner ear causes something to change.

I also have had it for years, intermittent at first, but then became 24/7. I don't know what a bunch of locusts sound like, but mine is best described as a bunch of cicadas "singing" nonstop.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
I also have had it for years, intermittent at first, but then became 24/7. I don't know what a bunch of locusts sound like, but mine is best described as a bunch of cicadas "singing" nonstop.

In parts of the country cicadas are called locusts. I grew up calling then that.

CW

I have a hard time believing it would be any real help. I'm not quite at the point of calling it a pseudoscience, but I do view it like chiropractic, i.e., it might be effective - if only as a placebo - for a narrow range of ailments, but only temporarily, requiring repeat visits.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
Following this thread as I suffer significantly. My local Ear/Nose/Throat specialist/surgeon told me last week that as of right now there is no “medical” cure but he is not one that would recommend acupuncture.

With all due respect, that ENT sounds like a bit of an asshole. Admitting there is no medical cure, but dissuading pursuit of alternative possibilities.

The only thing I've ever found that helped my tinnitus was getting my blood pressure under control, which lessened the severity of the ringing by about 25%.

My tinnitus isn't life altering but it is a damned nuisance. I'd try acupuncture in a heartbeat if there were a practitioner within 150 miles...

quote:

Originally posted by mike28w:
My tinnitus isn't life altering but it is a damned nuisance.

Same. The only time I notice an issue is with some standardized audio tests (beep tests), when the beep is around the same frequency as the ringing. But there's an alternate version with a pulsating beep that's made for folks with tinnitus, and helps you distinguish between the external beep and your internal tinnitus.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarmsp226:
...as of right now there is no “medical” cure

I asked my PC Dr about 10 or 12 years ago and he said no medical treatment available for it as well. I had hope for some development in this area.

He suggested reducing caffeine intake.

I went to an audiologist some years ago for a deep cleaning hoping that by some chance that was the problem. She looked in my ears and said no need for it your ears are clean. Then gave me the hard sell on hearing aids which I declined. I'm not ready to go that route yet.
She also said to quit drinking alcohol that makes it worse. I told her the only time I don't notice the tinnitus is when I'm half in the bag.

It's standard procedure and required for every medical professional to tell you to quit drinking. Then they most likely go home and have three martini's.