Sodium Thiosulfate — "May" Help w/ Hearing Loss and/or Tinnitus

SODIUM THIOSULFATE

I was doing some research on ammonia because I suspect it could be playing a role in the severity of my tinnitus. I ran across a testimonial (pasted below) by a man who claims Sodium Thiosulfate significantly affects his hearing and tinnitus severity.

I've come to believe there will likely never be one big "silver bullet" for most cases of tinnitus. But I also believe perhaps a thousand or so "little things" we do to affect it in even miniscule ways will likely bring a good degree of success for many of us. That's why tidbits like this feel important to me.

The link above takes you to EarthClinic, where there's a pretty lengthy discussion on various aspects of sodium thiosulfate. -- Best to All...

"""I'm going to give you the best current remedy for tinnitus, imo. At least of which I am aware.

Buy a bag of sodium thiosulfate from ebay. It's cheap. Try to get a better grade than the kind that they sell as photograph fixative (one of its uses). Food grade or above will work (USP is best but perhaps not necessary). Again, don't spend to much. I think I bought a pound of it, which is a lifetime supply, for eight dollars.

Sodium thiosulfate is a hospital go-to remedy for cyanide poisoning, it's used in transplant surgeries, and it has some other niche medical uses. So, just because its used as photograph fixative as well, don't let that put you off. It'll also dechlorinate your water.

It's uses are dynamic largely because of its superb property as a very strong reducing agent (aka: antioxidant). A little bit of this goes a very, very long way. A pound of it dechlorinates 50,000 gallons of water.

One of its uses, that can be found if you know how to search the literature, is as a protectant against hearing loss. I have found that this use extends to reducing, if not eliminating, tinnitus. Also, if you have any potential hearing damage from, say, prolonged exposure to loud music, taking some of this when you get home from the concert will do well to mitigate the hearing damage. This is confirmed by my personal experience. You can likely take it before as a hearing loss preventative, as well.

The solution I take was made by dissolving just 1 crystal of sodium thiosulfate in 1 liter of water. I then decanted a portion of the solution into a 2 oz brown dropper bottle, which is where I dispense it from. Please, please follow this dilution recommendation. Do not assume that more is better. I cannot overemphasize how strong this stuff is. That doesn't mean that you may not conservatively adjust the dilution in the distant future, but please start here.

Now, I tend to be sensitive to substances. At first, I used just three drops to mitigate a neuroinflammatory disorder that I have (of which tinnitus is a part). I feel it at this dose (a subtle but assured change in headspace noticed over a period of days, likely only due to a the strong anti-inflammatory action, in addition to a reduction in symtpoms). However, I have found that about 1/3 of a dropper full of solution is good for hearing protection, hearing damage reduction after noise exposure, and tinnitus reduction. I also use this amount when I want to detox/feel better after eating something nasty (it works) or from drinking too much. If you come home drunk, and want to feel normal upon waking (not drunk) take 1/3 of a dropper of solution. It'll surprise you how strong and effective it is at the dilution that I recommended.

I'm a cautions person, and I haven't taken any amount above 1/3 of a dropper of the recommended dilution, but I realize that everyone has different needs according to their biochemistry. My recommendation is to start small and adjust your dosage, conservatively, according to your reactions, relative success, and need. I'm not aware of any type of toxicity from this at any dose that remotely approaches the recommended dose at the recommended dilution (however, do your own research). It also is a strong chelator of calcium (one of its primary medical uses) and metals, and so you may see some calcium deposit related benefits at doses at or above 1/3 of a dropper. I have noticed some very minor circulatory changes for the better at this small dose. However, that could have been placebo. It is a strong chelator of calcium, however, make no mistake.

Hope this helps. I find it to be a great tool in my medicine chest. It needs to be noted that I'm not aware of any studies on the long term use of this substance, nor do I take it every day. My dosing is exclusively needs based. That is, when I feel symptoms that I think could benefit, I take some. Usually this continues for a 1-4 days, the symptoms disappear (often after one dose), and I stop. Someone less cautious and conservative than I did relate to me that they saw decreasing benefits after taking a relative large dose everyday for a few weeks. I can't relate to this, nor even comment as to whether or not it is accurate or even possible, as I don't take it that way. I don't know of any mechanism by which someone should see a decreasing result with daily use, but that doesn't mean it can't be so. It continues to work for me, with no reduction in benefit, as I choose to take it.

Keep in mind that whatever you have done or are doing to cause tinnitus will continue to cause it, despite your taking of this remedy. This stuff can halt the damage/tinnitus for as long as you are taking it, and it may mitigate further damage for as long as it is active in your system, and even possibly allow your neurology to adjust to a healthier state, but it won't fix your health in time forever. That is, you will likely have to come back to it, periodically, unless you can figure out what behavior or environmental influence is causing the tinnitus. In my experience, prolonged staring at computer screens has a subtle inflammatory effect on the brain and therefore has potential to cause tinnitus. It does in me ( but I have another predisposing issue that weakens my resistance to such inflammation). Everyone may not have this experience, but that doesn't mean that the inflammation isn't sub-clinical and therefore undetectable by you (according to how you feel)."""​

 

From THIS ARTICLE

Published Dec 3, 2016, 8:20 pm IST
Updated Dec 3, 2016, 8:19 pm IST

Although effective, cisplatin frequently causes permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. ...... For young children in particular, hearing loss is especially serious because it results in impaired language development, learning and social interactions. (Representational Image)

Washington D.C.: In first of its kind study, researchers have developed a new treatment that can prevent chemotherapy-induced hearing loss to about half in kids and adolescents with cancer.

The results of the study have been published in Lancet Oncology. The study found that the greatest benefit was seen in children younger than 5 years of age, who are most susceptible to, and also most affected by, cisplatin-induced hearing loss.

Investigators from Children's Hospital Los Angeles and 37 other Children's Oncology Group hospitals in the U.S. and Canada have determined that sodium thiosulfate prevents cisplatin-induced hearing loss in children and adolescents with cancer.​

 

Here's another good article:

Treatment significantly reduces chemotherapy-induced hearing loss in children

Date: December 2, 2016

Source: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Summary: Sodium thiosulfate prevents cisplatin-induced hearing loss in children and adolescents with cancer, investigators have determined.​

 

Can this stuff be bought locally? In Europe? The food grade stuff? Or ordered online other than ebay?

 

Found this stuff here, but it says right on the bottle that it's harmful if swallowed...?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NC-11699-S...007237?hash=item41a02a6545:g:glIAAOSwIwhWS7CO

 

C60

I just ran across the following testimonial on C60 improving tinnitus--from THIS SITE (LongeCity).

I am not a professional nor affiliated with the medical field, but I just wanted to offer a few of my own anecdotes after taking c60 for 6 months...I have had tinnitus in my left ear for over 25 years as a result of playing guitar in a very, very loud band without hearing protection - a non-stop roaring and ringing sound - I really messed my health up from years of living the lifestyle that usually goes along with playing that sort of music.

I started taking one dropper of C60 every other day and soon noticed I had more energy and a feeling of well being. 3 months ago I began mega dosing with 60 ml once a week. That's when I noticed my tinnitus seemed to be diminishing. Now it is only noticeable when I hear loud sounds,. I am amazed.​

 

Which ototoxic drug has caused your tinnitus?

 

Hi @David077,

I took a single 25 mg. dose of Promethazine, also known as Phenergen, on Feb. 3, 2018 (never took another dose). It was offered to me in the ER as an anti-nausea medication. The said it could cause some drowsiness, but never said anything about its well known ototoxic characteristics.

I will forever rue the day (and moment) I made that fateful, life-altering decision, not only what it did to my ears, but what it did to my brain. I now have severe ADD/ADHD type symptoms I never had before (also well-known "side effects" from this drug).​

 

Recently I got a prescription for Promethazine from my psych doc and she said that it can help with benzo w/d and "increase GABA in the brain"... the second thing is bullshit I think and because that people need to be very careful with psych docs.

Promethazine acts primarily as a strong antagonist of the H1 receptor (antihistamine) and a moderate mACh receptor antagonist (anticholinergic), and also has weak to moderate affinity for the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, D2, and α1-adrenergic receptors, where it acts as an antagonist at all sites, as well. source wiki

The must dangerous with this drug I think to play with the brain is on D2 receptors.

 

@David077 -- I would approach that Promethazine prescription from your doctor with extreme caution. My osteopathic doctor told me it was originally approved as an anti-psychotic drug. One of the possible "side effects" is for it to induce a psychotic episode--besides delirium, extreme agitation, seizures, muscle twitching, vision impairments, and so much more. I experienced it all.

At this point, I don't really know whether the drug damaged my inner ears in some manner, or whether the extreme stress from all those "side effects" I experienced triggered my tinnitus. Since I had major problems with my balance in those first few days, I believe my inner ears were majorly affected. But I think the extreme stress was also at least a contributing factor.

To give you a little more insight on went I went through, within about 15 minutes of taking Promethazine (for nausea), I began to experience complete memory lapses that were not the normal kinds of forgetfulness. Instead it felt like chunks of time (for a few seconds) were suddenly removed from my consciousness. Each one of those brief episodes felt similar to how I felt after once getting general anesthesia.

In the following weeks/months, my badly impaired memory improved back close to what it was, though the ADD/ADHD type symptoms are still with me (though improving). I read an account online where a woman in good health (and good memory) was given a Phenergen patch (another name for Promethazine) to help with nausea for an upcoming cruise ship voyage. He excellent memory turned into chronic forgetfulness, and four years later, she never recovered.

This drug was a horror for me, and I think it's an absolute crime that any doctor would prescribe it without thoroughly understanding and explaining to the patient what its life-altering "side effects" might be. Those "side effects" seem to be similar to what some anti-depressants do to some people, making them dramatically more depressed and suicidal.

To give you an idea of how casual doctors are about prescribing this dangerous drug, it was only after using it as an anti-psychotic drug that they discovered it helped with nausea, so they began prescribing it off label to anybody that had, or might experience nausea (huh???) It didn't take long for them to then start prescribing it (think increase profits) for helping people sleep, or as an anti-anxiety medication.

There's an antidote (physostigmine) that doctors can use if somebody has extreme reactions to an anticholinergic drug, but the side effects of that are very bad as well, so doctors are hesitant to use it. I didn't know about this drug in the beginning, but after my horrible experiences, I decided to not go back to the ER. I was in such bad shape, I could easily see them trying to commit me to some kind of psychiatric center. No way I was going to take that chance.

If you're interested, you can find out more about emergency care in these kinds of situations in this Medscape article: Anticholinergic Toxicity Treatment & Management. David -- Again, I would advise approaching any use of this drug with extreme caution.

All the Best!

@Michael Leigh - Michael, I thought I'd tag you, as I know you've read or heard an awful lot of accounts of how people got tinnitus. I suspect the anticholinergic properties of Promethazine was the primary factor for me. -- I read one account online of a man who took just one dose of Benadryl (anticholinergic), got tinnitus, and it never went away.

I should mention that I believe what the Promethazine did to my muscles was also a factor. Various areas of my body that I had minor issues with, all of a sudden flared dramatically. My knee literally got pulled out of it normal alignement, my neck became almost unbearably stiff and painful, and my lower back went into a major episode. I had a physical therapy appointment this past week, and all those areas have felt much better since, AND, my tinnitus has regressed about 5-10% or so. I'm hoping for more improvements in the coming weeks!

Best...

 

Has anyone else on here used Sodium Thiosulfate with success in reducing Tinnitus? I have searched and can't find anything else about it online, except this article from Journal Of Neurology.

http://www.jneurology.com/articles/medical-uses-of-sodium-thiosulfate..pdf

According to that study there appears a hope of preventing Alzheimer's. Hallelujah for that!

I would like to know if there are any other recommended oral dosages besides one I found by one person on another forum, which was a teaspoon. I think a teaspoon could be potentially dangerous, considering how potent this stuff is if as the OP stated, " A pound of it dechlorinates 50,000 gallons of water."

 

Fecal therapy is also being explored for healing Alzheimer's and hundreds more illnesses... Lane, I did the same as well played loud music but I think it was an antibiotic that did me in as well as stress. Cipro was created by the devil.

 

Is it possible you can link specifically which kind you bought? I'm a little lost.

 

Hi @jessica_rt -- Below is a link to the 10-pound bag of STS I purchased. It's really a lot, but I'm happy to have plenty, as it's an inexpensive and convenient way to essentially enjoy a healing sulfur hot springs in your own bathtub (1 tsp - 1 tbsp per bath). If you wanted to take it internally, I would't take more than 1 crystal at a time starting out (in any kind of liquid). -- I sincerely hope this can help with your Cisplatin induced tinnitus... Feel free to ask any followup questions...

Sodium Thiosulfate "Na2S2O3 5H2O" *Water Dechlorinator* Minimum 99% purity! 10lb
Item price $21.50

 

Thank you so much, this is very helpful! I think I read that you took it internally, yes? If so, how much and how did you take it? Mix it in water? How often?

 

Hi @jessica_rt -- A "little" of STS goes a long ways. The first time I took a single crystal internally, I noticed a nice energy boost for the next several hours. The next day I took a single crystal 2 times, which turned out to be too much for my system (STS is a potent detoxifier). -- You can put it in any kind of liquid, such as water, coffee, tea, juice, etc.

This detoxification capabilities of STS are able to detoxify the platinum out of the body that's introduced by Cisplatin, and protect the ears in the process (for some). It's also able to detoxify many other toxicities, such as arsenic and other heavy metals. I personally believe tinnitus volume and intensity can be affected by heavy metals in our body, especially if we have any kind of metal in our mouth. If that's the case, heavy metals can leach into our stomach and bloodstream 24/7. -- I think STS is a great thing to take even if a person doesn't have tinnitus.

 

So just mix one single crystal into liquid? Will it dissolve?

 

@jessica_rt -- Yep! (very quickly and easily)

 

To the poster — You said you were researching ammonia. But you didn’t say how you landed on Sodium Thiosulfate. Does it help clean up ammonia?

Can all sulfates help clean up ammonia?

Have you tried Glutathione? That helps me with pulsatile tinnitus.

 

Hi @LucyLou128 -- There's much I no longer recall about my research into ammonia, and how exactly I happened across Sodium Thiosulfate (STS). For a while, I would make my own "healing sulfur hot spring" right in my own bathtub, just by adding a tsp or so of STS. It not only detoxifies the chlorine in the bathwater, but can detoxify the body at the same time (I also added a pint of epsom salts).

Sometimes after taking a bath, I would feel much better overall. But sometimes I didn't notice too much at all. On occasions, I thought I noticed a temporary reduction in tinnitus volume and intensity. I think that could have been from the detoxification, but it also could have been from the deep relaxation I would experience in the tub, often dozing off for a few minutes. -- I never did discern whether or not I was dealing with an ammonia problem, or whether STS might have affected it in any way if I did.

Last fall I got myself a nebulizer which I can use to nebulize Glutathione. I only did it a couple of times, as it seemed to slightly disrupt my sleep. I plan to get back to it at some point, and do a little more experimenting with dosages, and see if it helps with anything. I've heard nebulized Glutathione (and hydrogen peroxide) can be a very effective adjunctive therapy for COVID-19.

 

The Sulfate in the Epsom salts is a huge help. The Sulfate is a big deal with detoxification. I developed tinnitus on a high Oxalate diet when I was eating loads of high Salicylate / high phenol foods. Loads of berries. Teas. Spinach. Nuts. High dose vitamin C makes it worse too.

I developed severe anxiety, frozen shoulder, gallstones, very stiff lower back.
I gave them up in 2013 and all those symptoms are gone except for the tinnitus which is milder now.

The Sulfate (Cysteine) contributes to making Glutathione.

For those who feel scared of taking the Thiosulfate — they can consider taking NAG (N-Acetyl Glucosamine) or Glutathione. Quicksilver makes a good Glutathione which you can apply to your wrist and rub in. I don’t use it often but I really think it helps.

Glucosamine Sulfate should work too.
NAC may help. That is N-Acetyl Cysteine.
The Epsom salt baths are good too but too much is not good and some react to them if using too much (getting red face, lightheadedness, heavy heartbeat).

You can mix Epsom salts into shower soap. Some people melt them in boiling water. Let it cool and then mix into liquid shower soap.

 

So high Vit C, high Salicylate / high phenol foods. Loads of berries. Teas. Spinach. Nuts, made your tinnitus worse right?

 

@Lane So does Sodium Thiosulfate work on already existing Tinnitus or is it rather otoprotective?