Acupuncture seems to have some value, so much so that some acupuncturists specialize in tinnitus.
“... at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri.”
So does this mean they are considered a magnet school?
Interesting that they attribute tinnitus to “miswired” brain cells. I always thought it was caused by loud noises damaging the inner ear cells. I suffer from it due to a youth spent with firearms, extremely loud rock concerts, loud workshop tools, unmuffled lawn mowers, various explosives, exploding bicycle tires and other loud reports and noises. I sorely wish people had warned about tinnitus in the old days — it is a real pain. Of course, what kid actually listens to his elders?
Mine started after an inner ear infection. I always thought it was damage to the Cilia or whatever they’re called that really can’t be repaired.
This research is sounding like Mesmerism. Bunk.
Try taking a high quality fish oil supplement, not a cheap drugstore one from China but something clean and respected like Nordic Naturals. Try to reduce your Omega 6 fats and increase your Omega 3s. My husband did this for health and his chronic tinnitus disappeared!
In order for a veteran to receive service connected compensation for tinnitus, the noise must be constant, in both ears. Must have originated while on active duty. Doctor will inquire as to your military duties. Gun crew. Helicopter crew/repair. Treadhead,etc.
The VA doc asked me if I thought my tinnitus was related more to gunfire or helicopters and I said,”both.” He then asked me if I was ever in combat and I said,”Yes.” He then asked me if it had affected my hearing and I said,”HUH?”
Oddly enough, VA only grants a maximum of 10% regardless of degree/intensity of a patients tinnitus. And that is total-not 10% per ear. Rather strange...
Well, that's a relief -- I guess...
I always thought my tinnitus was left-over damage from my ringing ears after many hours of shooting jackrabbits as a young man.
The government was trying to stop Bubonic Plague in the New Mexican Jackrabbit population by asking folks to kill as many of the ubiquitous varmints as possible. (The theory was, with few jackrabbits, the plague-bearing fleas couldn't spread and propagate.)
So, every evening, four of us would take our .22 pistols / revolvers and spotlights, and drive out into the young alfalfa fields along the Pecos river. After rolling our windows down and sitting quietly for a few minutes, we would switch the lights on, and the fields would be full of jackrabbits -- sticking up like white posts. Then the shooting started.
Think about it: with four people shooting through the open windows of one car, every shooter has someone else's muzzle blasting away only a few feet from his head -- no matter where he is seated...
At the time, we had never heard of (much less knew where to buy) hearing protectors, And, being young and "invincible", we laughed off the fact that we had to shout our conversations on our way back into town.
Well, none of us are laughing now; the constant "ringing" in our ears isn't funny!
I suppose we should be consoled by the idea that our brains are just "mis-wired" and by the silly hope that a magnet near our skulls might undo the physical damage we inflicted on ourselves 'way back when we were young and "bulletproof"... '-(