Taser to the Base of the Skull to Reset the Brain?

This is not a joke.
I'm trying to do some brainstorming here (no pun) on which non lethal method would be the best way to reset/reboot the brain.

This would be of course the last desperate mesaure before suicide, as any additional increase in Tinnitus would be simply unacceptable to me, should the experiment go wrong.

While I realize, that predicting the outcome of this would be most likely impossible, nevertheless I would apprecciate if someone with neuroscience or biochemistry background gave me their opinion on what would most likely happen inside the brain after a good electrical jolt, that would result in temporary "lights out".

I'm hoping that this might fry the overexcited neurons, or at least make them stop firing in sync?

Does anyone have any theories on this subject, or has anyone tried something similar?

 

You're talking about ECT, electro convulsive therapy.

Tinnitus as a Symptom of Psychotic Depression Successfully Treated With Electroconvulsive Therapy
https://journals.lww.com/ectjournal..._as_a_Symptom_of_Psychotic_Depression.32.aspx

hmmmmm, uh.....

There's also this:
Chronic Tinnitus following Electroconvulsive Therapy
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crips/2011/607061/abs/

 

Thank you John.
Based on those links it seems, that it could go either way.

I remember that electroshock therapy was big in the 60's, but not sure if Tinnitus was treated back then.
I admit my ignorance on this topic.

 

They still offer ECT. When I worked at the VA hospital in my city, I actually helped fix one of their machines.

 

Interesting.
Maybe this would be something worth looking into.

 

Hmmmm. My opinion is no.

 

Again, this would be more of a last resort type of undertaking.

 

It seems to me that it would be better to try Lenire, University of Minnesota's device, or Susan Shore's device first...

 

Yes of course.

But I have some doubts about Lenire and their decision to use Bluetooth headset, knowing that correct timing is absolutely crucial for this to work, so I will not be taking part in that one.

The Shore and Minnesota devices most likely have more potential, but I'm quite literally racing against time here.
I'm not sure if I will be able to survive like this for much longer and both devices seem to be years from hitting the market.

 

Have you thought about looking into the requirements for the University of Michigan trial and maybe moving over there if you have to? That might be a better idea, I've been thinking of doing this.

 

I didn't know they are looking for trial participants, but thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Sadly, right now I'm not in a situation in which I could move (or commute) to Michigan.

Also, knowing my luck, I would most likely end up in a placebo group of sorts..

 

There are no true placebo groups in these tours of clinical studies. That is, medical ethics mandates that even the placebo group is eventually offered the treatment, if the treatment group shows the desired effect.

 

Fixed their machines? John, I am curious as to what you do for a living?

 

Thank you for that information Matt.
I was not aware of this fact.
But in either case, moving to Michigan is not in the cards for me at the moment.

 

I actually just contacted the Shore group to inquire, as I'm only a 5ish hour drive to Ann Arbor, and appear to meet the official inclusion criteria. I'll keep everyone posted re this.

 

Harley, I doubt ECT would cure your tinnitus, but if you have enough treatments it might make you forget about it, this treatment was given regularly at a private psyche hospital I worked at, I can tell you it did effect people's memories, and it was hit or miss if it helped their chronic depression. I also found the results did not last, many had to keep returning for a course of treatments, and for some they said the memory loss was not worth it...

 

I did read this article the other day on Deep Brain Stimulation for tinnitus, I have not heard of it previously but I am sure many people on this site probably are aware of it as a treatment. It is way more invasive than ECT, but it states it has had some good results for severe refractory tinnitus, but then again sample size was small... and it is invasive

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/918898#vp_1

 

Thank you Star.
I did some searching as well and turns out there actually are few articles out there on this very topic.

From what I could gather, electrical jolt can deffinitelly change the cochlear cell timing, but no way of knowing if for the better or worse:

"Electric shock can change the timing mechanisms inside of human cells. This includes cochlear cells that are suspended in liquid which conducts the current"

http://tinnitus123.blogspot.com/2013/11/tinnitus-taser.html?m=1

The deep brain stimulation could be of benefit, but most likely not part of basic health care and therefore financially out of reach for most people out there.

 

@Harley -- I made a post (link below) about deep brain stimulation leading to cessation of tinnitus...

What Would Be Your Last Treatment Experiment Before Suicide?

 

@Harley -- I'm sure you're correct on that one, or at least 99% correct. However, you never know when you'll run across a health care practitioner with an open mind, and would consider it; especially if the tinnitus is severe and a person is considering suicide.

As far as "resetting" the brain however; here's a story that I feel has some relevance. -- I've long been into all kinds of so called "alternative" therapies (for decades), and have read several books on reflexology. One story from one of those booksd has stayed with me from all those years ago.

A woman with serious heart issues was getting regular reflexology treatments on her feet. Whenever the therapist would press on the areas of the feet corresponding to the heart, the woman would go into agony, and plead for relief. The therapist would go easy on her, but after a few sessions, the therapist finally said that it was time to go in a little deeper.

After the "deeper" session was underway, the patient at one point let out a loud shriek. The practitioner of course was pretty taken back by that, and wanted to know what had happened. The woman related that she all of a sudden experienced what felt like a bolt of lightning going from her foot to her heart; and then it quickly faded. But the crux of the story is that after this experience, this woman no longer had any heart problems. Something about getting the nerve energy in her heart area unblocked turned out to be key for her.

I've thought of this often since getting tinnitus early last year, because like you, I often think of doing what I can to "reset" my brain and/or auditory system. And I continue to think it's possible. Instead of something like Electroshock Therapy however, I tend to think in terms of long-term "persuasion", such as daily mHBOT. daily self-acupuncture, daily self-massage, especially around the ears and neck, and much more.

Another possible reset therapy that I think holds a lot of potential is intermittent fasting. I ran across a book many years ago that was written by a chiropractor back in the 1950's. He routinely put his patients on fasts, ranging anywhere from 7 to 21 days. He x-rayed their spines while they fasted, and was able to document many severe cases of scoliosis straightening out almost completely. Who'd a thunk it?

I did about a 44-hour fast several months ago, and had a rather extraordinary experience take place in my inner ear (right side). I was doing a relaxation technique (Egoscue Tower), and all of a sudden it felt like a mini-explosion went off in my ear. It jerked the whole right side of my upper body at the same time. I was hoping it would affect my tinnitus, but alas, it didn't.

When something like this happens while fasting however, I take it as a sign my body is trying to do some kind of corrective healing, and I put NO limits on how much progress can be made. I haven't done a fast that long since then, but as I build up more and more resilience with my intermittent fasting, I anticipate doing so. Perhaps even getting up to 7 days or more. But I wouldn't do it without doing supportive detox therapies, and various kinds of other therapies like self-acupuncture to make the process a whole lot more tolerable and enjoyable.

 

If you decide to stick a taser to your melon, youtube it and make some $ while you're at it. Be creative in your title, get blitzed with your buddies (assuming someone will be assisting) and you may have something.

 

Researchers are useless. Lenire is talked about here but you never hear anything, pardon the pun.

If it was working and a revolutionary treatment, something would leak.

Does the brain reset deal with anything regarding the auditory cortex system?

Or maybe it doesn't have to? Not everyone who is deaf or who had hearing loss has tinnitus, right?

I don't think ECT will work since you are damaging too much of the brain and a treatment for tinnitus targeting the brain needs to target the specific area involved, doesn't it? From what I recall, it's not just one area and might be involved various areas of the brain and they might not be located close by?

This is what makes it extra complicated. They probably need some kind of scan in which they can visualize and map out exactly where those specific areas are. In other words, locate exactly the brain activity where the tinnitus is happening and know how to treat that in a way that resets the brain?

I suspect ECT won't do that and does other damage if it does any benefit at all.

 

There is deep brain clinical trial beginning in... I forget - Germany? Netherlands?

 

I hear you, nothing infuriates me more than the health care system, so many medical procedures can only be undertaken by those that have money, and some people even get into debt just to be able to return themselves to a healthier state.

In a perfect world healthcare would be provided to all regardless of economic status, especially if it is a necessity not a luxury, but unfortunately we do not live in such a world.

 

Thanks Matt, I will research a bit more, I knew of DBS for other ailments but I never knew it was being trialled for tinnitus.