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

I'm sorry I did a little browsing but didn't really see anything clearly laid out, if I'm on a relative budget but want to try LLLT for my hyperacusis, what sort of device would I look to get and what's the standard protocol for usage?

 

There is no standard device and no standard protocol because medical research and clinical trials of light therapy for tinnitus and hyperacusis have been quite limited and inconclusive, especially for the high powered devices which have been released in the last few years. Most of the available studies are older and use low powered devices which were available at the time.

So to a great extent all you have to go on is the opinions and experiences of people posting in this thread and other threads on Tinnitus Talk about photobiomodulation. My own opinion would be to say to try an infrared "mini" device from Red Light Man because the devices are not expensive (about $100) and are very powerful. I have already written a lot about the Red Light Man devices so I will not repeat all that, but easy to find my previous posts, including this one:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/diy-low-level-laser-therapy-for-tinnitus-on-a-budget-—-lllt-under-100.15342/page-30#post-241934

 

Two years later, you still using the lamp? Any improvement?

 

@lymebite - you gonna answer the "good question"?? LOL

 

Still using it. Mainly for ear pain - it helps some on a short term basis. Tinnitus is maybe slightly improved. Not sure if due to the light therapy or other factors.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29160001

May cause cancer proliferation.

 

I'm thinking about ordering the Luci Basic home laser. Has anyone ever tried it? Only problem is that it costs over 3k but the doctor in Florida told me it helps patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis.

 

There's a few efficacy studies on pubmed. I'd peruse that before making such a purchase.

 

It only will help the vendor.

 

Before investing over $3,000, you may wish to consider starting with a lower priced LLLT device and see if it helps. Konftec sells LASER LLLT devices (with specifications comparable to the Luci) for about $500 and Red Light Man sells LED LLLT devices for about $100.

The second of the three links shows a comparison of the Konftec devices with the Luci.


http://www.konftec.com/order/HTML/order-ht-tinnitus.htm

http://www.konftec.com/html/EN/Auricular_Laser_Comparison.htm

https://redlightman.com/product/infrared-mini-830/

 

Well I ended up getting the Luci Basic because I'm always hearing negative stuff about the Konftec. For the first couple of weeks the laser has helped my hyperacusis but has had no effect on the tinnitus. I guess it'll take more time to notice an effect on the tinnitus. The doctor recommended 30 minutes per day but I wonder if it's safe to use it for an hour?

 

Let me introduce :

The DIY Soother
I had my first 20 minute session today and it relieved some of my stiff neck. No effect on the T yet, but I will continue the daily treatments. The LEDs get extremely hot and burn if not careful I jused a steel string to hold the LEDs (20W, 850 nm infrared LEDs). All in all, the parts on the picture cost me 80 USD on ebay, all you need is a soldering iron to make the cables and anyone should be able to build it.

 

Someone rated a post "Informative". I'd like to state that I no longer believe that the LLLT helped me, and may have actually made my hearing loss worse.

 

I appreciate this is an old thread, but may I ask what your ultimate conclusion was regarding these lights? I found lasers too harsh - they spiked me - but am considering the LED's.

 

I still use my Red Light Man LEDs and Konftec LASERs on an occasional basis. They by no means have cured my tinnitus or my noxacusis, but I find when my chronic ear pain in silence (one of the many awful constellation of symptoms associated with noxacusis) is particuarly bad, treatment with LLLT helps the pain to subside some.

 

Thanks! Did it help your tinnitus at all? That's primarily my interest. If not, no worries, just gathering some data to inform how I might proceed.

 

My tinnitus fluctuates a lot both short term (hour-to-hour and day-to-day) and long term (over the months) so it’s difficult for me to say exactly. My best guess conclusion is that LLLT for my tinnitus is either neutral (no effect, positive or negative) or slightly helpful.

 

Hi @lymebite. I was wondering how are you these days, did your noxacusis improve?

Also what LED are you using? I am thinking about buying one myself but I don't know anything about the distance (from the ears) and the time that I should use it everyday.

Thanks.

 

@Taw I do not think anybody really knows much about the best protocol for time and distance, unfortunately there is minimal research available. I have two of the Red Light Man devices, the Infrared Mini 830 and the Red-Infrared Combo Mini.

 

Any updates from users of Red Light Man? I just ordered the combo light...