How Do Benzos Help Tinnitus? And Are They Ototoxic?

I have been taking valium on and off for a while but only half of a 2mg tablet a night.

I am not sure if it is helping to be honest, I want something for anxiety but I don't want to take anti depressants after readingg all of the horror stories.

 

1mg valium is the lowest dose in benzo. No, benzo does not improve your tinnitus but it will calm you down and sedate you. So that, you feel more indifferent. But it's very additive and the withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks, months or years. I highly recommend you to find a different alternative.

 

Benzo withdrawal without tapering is known to cause permanent/louder tinnitus and since benzos are meant to be taken short term I would say that they do not help tinnitus even if they might initially lower volume. Benzos have NEVER been approved for treating tinnitus by the FDA and the EMEA. I would explain this to your doctor.

 

I think it really depends; for some people, benzos absolutely do actually quiet down the tinnitus. Some people don't get this effect but feel calmer, and some people get nothing out of it.

2mg valium isn't much, but it has a very long halflife, and should be expected to create some amount of dependence and then withdrawal after more than a couple week's use. But, how bad that is, is a genetic crapshoot.

 

Benzos have many issues such as dependency but there is reputable guidance that they can quiet tinnitus for as many as 75 percent of patients. And if it is going to work, it will do so within minutes or hours - so you will know right away whether or not it will help.

For example see the attached instructions from Harvard Medical School on how to use Clonazepam and Diazepam to reduce tinnitus.