DIY Low-Level Laser Therapy for Tinnitus on a Budget — LLLT Under 100,-

What is the "red light flush"? The red light man device? Also can you take measurement of the Ilauke using normal AA batteries? I thought you already found those 14500s burned your ears...

 

I purchased a 630nm version of the same flashlight, linked above. With the NIR version it burned after 2 days straight of 2 x 5 minute sessions. I have been experimenting with lower time (2 mins) and it seems to be fine. Not sure if it was the light or waste heat from the flashlight. Also, the red light version gets very warm (much more so than the NIR), even with the flash mode.

 

Interesting. is 630nm more effective than 850? different wavelengths target different parts of the cochlea according to some stuff I read (not sure if I have that right).

What about testings with regular AA battery. Everybody else using this is just using standard AA battery.
Thanks

 

Hi guys. @stargazer, I second @SilverSpiral, it'd be really helpful to know how much power there is from a fresh AA battery. Thanks

 

Ok so it's a little over 24 hours since I did my third session with the torch and my T is spiking again. This is accompanied by my usual aural fullness, and then some...

 

Fourth session :
7min/ear (4 +3min)
IR 850 3W torchlight
AA 1.5V
Narrow beam

Nothing special.

 

Fourth Session 10/03:
5 min each ear
IR 850 3w torch using AA batteries
Wide Beam.
No change

 

It will take months or even years to start noticing some changes
Monitoring on a daily or weekly basis isn't going to indicate much

 

Is 2 sessions a week the way to go? What protocols do the pro lasers etc advise? I'm not expecting instant results but I'd like to know I'm on the right track in tackling my hearing loss, H and T.

 

We don't know
This lamp is a bit weak maybe doing more is fine

 

I am doing 3x15 min in my right ear a week. (I have that other IR-850 that isn't the Ilauke. Was using a 1.2V NiMH rechargable. Now using a 1.5v Alkaline.)

I have had a few spikes 2 days after using the light two separate times.. Not sure if related. But they have been bigger spikes than normal.

I will continue!

Use a battery tester?

 

Fifth session :
8min/ear (4 + 4min each)
IR 850 3W torchlight
AA 1.5V
Narrow beam

Nothing special.

 

guys - perhaps it makes sense to start a google doc to track changes instead of posting here each time? To Bobby's point - chronic tinnitus may require years of subtle changes for this to work even if successful. Perhaps it makes sense to post your protocol and then provide monthly updates?

 

Wilden always says that it takes 3 to 4 years to get to the final healing stage - lets assume 40 months being the average period it takes

At this rate we are getting maybe 10% improvements every 4 months..too little, too slow to even notice much so many people just give up after a few months.


I am back using the lucky laser at 808nm, 450mw pulsed 10Hz, 10 minutes per ear and every day, and I must say I got some recent further improvements since a week ago, better highs, a further small reduction in T and less H.

The S sounds better now and the same music has a bit more treble to it, quite pleased so far

 

You're right

 

still using the flashlight?

 

I am still experimenting with angle. It looks like I found a more efficient (correct) angle. Tinnitis instantly goes up when I use the IR at this new angle. Also more fluctuations during the day (but this could have been a coincident). These fluctuations where not so profound using the other angle. I will see if this change is temporarily.
I think the biggest problem is not knowing if this angle is correct. Especially with the Lucky Laser. The beam is relatively narrow. (Which also makes it more efficient).
I am using 300 mW at 10 Hz (808 nm). Higher output is not comfortable for my ears.

 

After all this talk of LEDs you are back to using laser?

 

this lamp is nowhere near the advertised 5w of optical power, we need to find a much more powerful one. I tried the 3.7v battery but mine cuts the beam out so...

I always said that high power is key for this treatment to work, that's why Wilden uses 20w

the lucky laser has the 808nm but its a narrow beam at max 0.9w - if you try this at a 5cm distance from the ear to get a wider coverage you clearly feel a heat deep into the ear something I did not notice with that LED lamp

Until we find a "real" 5w or more optical device I will use the lucky

Of course the cheapest way is just to buy the 10w or 20w or more LED part and make your own device which is also an option I consider...since I have the power source now with that 3.7v battery

 

So with your view of the LED lamps being underpowered, those of us that bought these devices, do you think we are safe to use them daily for extended periods of time if they are "underpowered"? the approaches foncky and blue are taking with the ilauke is pretty conservative isnt it?

 

I think its safe yes you won't melt your head with it for sure

 

How did we get from high power and cheap to underpowered. I'm kind of lost here.

Can someone shed some light ?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01EX46D72/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A1RCT2BX6IIL5P&psc=1. Comes with 3.7v battery and charger

 

you then can pick your prefererred frequence and power. With the lucky laser you also reintroduce pulsing.I had a nice improvement but after I switched pulsing off the progress stopped. Might have to do with it

 

Good find maybe worth a try
I wonder what's the real optical power though

 

If we don't find a reliable way to measure the optical power at 5cm we will never know for sure.

 

I use the MiMi hearing test and as Lymebite pointed out it has been somewhat buggy since the update.

What I do is this, I do the MiMi audiogram and when I'm finished that I use another high frequency tone generator app to test the higher frequencies(see pic)and note how high the volume must be before I can hear that tone starting on the lowest volume.

 

I think this is what we need

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3W-10W-20W-...hash=item3f711c937c:m:mJfDYL2N5TNq5PCu9psFgQQ

look at the radiation power - a fraction of the consumption power
so to get to an optical power of about 2W-3W we would need a 20w LED which is pretty much what pumkinate used in fact his LED were even more efficient and a bit more expensive

 

Over on the Facebook LLLT group they are discussing Professor Hamblin's interview with Dr. Mercola and his suggestion that people buy low-cost IR devices on Amazon. They call this "biohacking" - that is, buying an inexpensive IR device designed for nighttime illumination (like our torches) and then using it for LLLT.

For example, here are two examples in the $10 or $20 range that are mentioned (not for tinnitus but for other purposes):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00L8VKYB0

https://www.amazon.co.uk/niceEshop-Night-Vision-Infrared-Illuminator/dp/B019ESMPAQ

But most of the people over there doing "biohacking" seem to have purchased solar power meters (like @stargazer did) to test the power output of these devices (in terms of mW / cm 2 at different distances). There seem to be many brands and models of solar power meters and can be bought for as low as $100 range.

(The Facebook group is for LLLT in general, there is not any tinnitus discussion.)

Here is the Dr. Hamblin interview for anyone interested.

Dr. Mercola Interviews Dr. Hamblin (Full...

 

@stargazer Are you still doing daily treatments with the 14500 battery. @Bobby B what was the rationale for 2 treatments a week? Would the best results come from treatments everyday or every other day. Intuitively it seems that every 3-4 days would be unnecessarily long. Your body would probably be finished with the effects at 24 and ready for another session. That said you'd want the dosing not too high for daily treatments. Would a 60J/cm2 dose be too much for daily use? At 200mW/cm2 that would be around 5 min per ear. If 60 J/cm2 is too much than maybe 30 J/cm2 every day would be better than 60 J/cm2 every 3 days.