Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Tinnitus — Efficacy Debate

Yes normal audiogram as its done up to 8khz - it's very hard to find a place that does above that.
@Alue
I believe that was you issue - they only did the normal test and found nothing

 

Is this is the case for my T, would I benefit from LLLT?

 

Even a high frequency hearing test won't necessarily find anything. Plus, there is no real standard for ultra high frequency hearing, people generally do lose it as they age, but unless you have had a ultra high frequency hearing test done before and after your acoustic trauma, there is no baseline to compare it to.
But you absolutely can have hearing damage that is not reflected in a hearing test.

This is a theory that is still being investigated by researchers, but I would venture to say that most people with tinnitus have some hearing loss even if it's undetectable by current methodology.

Hearing loss is generally believed to be irreversible. Now even if you were to manage to reverse hearing loss by any method it's not a guarantee it would improve the tinnitus, but if people want to self experiment, are responsible about it and understand the risks, I see no problem with it.

I really can't comment on the effectiveness of LLLT. It's still experimental and unproven.
There was a thread taking about the feasibility of doing a build your own LLLT. www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/diy-low-level-laser-therapy-for-tinnitus-on-a-budget-%E2%80%94-lllt-under-100.15342

 

I agree, but to play devil's advocate for a moment -- probably everyone that's alive and post-natal has some hearing loss; people who have survived to their teens or later and live in an industrialized world, even more so.

 

Well what I mean is it's the brain's response (or overreaction) to hearing loss. This seems to be more common if the hearing loss is sudden regardless of the cause.

The thing that I don't quite understand is why is this so permanent.

 

This is the most effective (For the brain of ours pdocs)

 

Is this still Low Level Laser ?

 

So I am re-posting a specific question, anyone try and get relief from low-level laser treatments?

What was your experience...?

 

Why don't you look on pubmed? There are clinical study results on there.

Examples:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25653802
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25606834
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24288494

 

If you're looking for positive results from active forum members, it's unlikely. Anyone healed is gone, except @threefirefour who seems to enjoy the site despite not having tinnitus .

Personally, I use a redlight man combo floodlight. I have no way to prove whether or not it helps, but my tinnitus is substantially better than it was a few years ago, and I do think that my healing increased when I started using it. I probably use it 2-4x a week for 20 mins while watching TV. It's a SLOW treatment and an experiment with no control.

I think it lowers inflammation, which I think exacerbates tinnitus. I don't know if it regrows hair cells and I don't plan to die to find out.

I don't suggest buying a very expensive light. Mine was $100.

 

A preliminary study on the efficacy and safety of low level light therapy in the management of cochlear tinnitus: A single blind randomized clinical trial

 

Sorry, but English is not my mother tongue and I have some problems understanding the subtlety in this part of the conclusion:

"A new laser device with a wavelength of 830 nm and an output level of 100 mw was safe and effective in reducing the overall duration and loudness matches of tinnitus with cochlear dysfunction. However, there was no significant improvement of tinnitus two weeks after LLLT."

So wait... was that effective or not?
Does that mean it was effective right after using the laser then the benefits faded away 2 weeks later? I just don't get that part of the conclusion.

 

@Artemis2K

Listen to his story.

 

@SteveShield

I got no benefit from it. Within the months I used it it broke. When I tried to send it back for repair it got lost in customs. After a month of waiting I asked for a refund, but he wouldn't give it. A month later the broken laser I sent for repair was RTS. The package said it was unclaimed. Wilden didn't bother to pick it up.

But the most important part, it gave me ear aches and more hearing loss. I could tell because I spent a month of silence and yet still got dulled hearing and worse tinnitus. After I stopped using it, most of the lost hearing returned, but not all of it. Same goes for tinnitus, it improved, but didn't go back to how it was.

My experience was awful. I think I got scammed. In addition, there is some research that suggests LLLT may cause cancer.

Don't even bother trying. I received no benefit and it just got worse.

 

Did you eventually get your money back from him?

 

No.

 

Sorry bro, that sucks...

I wish he could be stopped from scamming other people.

Thank goodness you're feeling better and the money will be water under the bridge. Your business will grow and you’ll finish school and be just fine.

The guy sounds like a complete jerk... aghhhhhh.

 

The problem with that study is that 2 weeks of LLLT is unlikely to achieve much. LLLT is something done in the long term (1-3 years).

 

I also don't really trust Dr.wilden. I'm a personal advocate of LLLT but his business ethics are questionable

 

@Tom Cync:

Would you consider posting a picture of the redlight man combo floodlight that you are using?

I tried to find it online, but not sure if I was looking at the right one.

 

Did you benefit from LLLT regarding your tinnitus?