On the Road to Success — Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Improved After Low-Level Laser Treatment

Hey @Freerunner!

Happy to help as much as I can. I might not be the best authority on protocol, but I will share my experience and hopefully it helps.

I read about laser in passing, and was going to physical therapy getting laser treatment for a back issue. After my 2nd acoustic trauma, I was at her office and feeling rather desperate about my ears and I asked her what she thought about trying the laser on my ears. She had not used it for this purpose before, but it is approved for use in ears. Regarding duration, we just started slow and observed how I felt. There was no standard protocol we were following.

The sensation I typically get during treatment is heat, and sometimes slight achiness or mild pain in my ears. Sensation of heat is an indication that there is tissue injury and your body is taking in and utilizing the laser light.

The sensations I feel subside as soon as the treatment is done. I haven't noticed other side effects. No tinnitus increase. One thing I did notice was a fairly dramatic improvement in hyperacusis right after treatment. My ears were bothering me last week and my left ear felt plugged. After I got laser treatment my ear did not feel plugged anymore.

We do about 1 min/ear max. We usually go up to about 1 joule. I can feel when my ear has had enough, and even that very small amount has had positive effects for me. For comparison, we usually do about 2-3 joules on my back, and I believe the max you are supposed to do in one area is 6 to 8 joules. (She was surprised I was having any effect from the tiny amount we were doing)

It sounds like the place you're going to has a specific protocol, but as with anything my advice is to listen to your body. If you feel like you need a break, take one.

I hope that helps. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions. Good luck!!! Excited for you and I really hope you get some improvement.

 

@Juan, if you're interested, you can search PubMed and NCBI. I found some helpful info there.