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Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:26 pm
by hankintexas
I have found nothing and have it pretty bad. I have hearing aides I got from the VA with Tinnitus Maskers built in. They put out a steady hissing noise. The hissing in my ears distracts me from constantly hearing the high pitched ringing.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:38 pm
by Pawpaw
I haven't found anything that helps with my tinnitus as much as distraction does. If I'm busy concentrating on something, I just "tune it out" and that's the only relief I find. I'm taking Biotin right now, but about 1-1/2 months into taking it has made no difference either.

I did all the same things in the 70's that everyone else did. None of us ever even thought about hearing protection back then. The most that ever happened was my ears ringing for a few hours, but it always went away. Then, in 1989 or 90, in Germany during a NATO exercise, I was in charge of a team stationed in a telephone switch room in the back of a hardened aircraft shelter. Some genius decided to fire up the F-16 that was in there without clearing the building first. Of course, we had no hearing protection more effective than putting our hands over our ears. The only thing between us and that jet was cinder block walls and a steel door. I thought about evacuating everyone, but I was afraid the jet blast would fry the first guy to step through that door.

My ears have been ringing ever since.

My current hearing aids have the tinnitus feature, but I had it turned off because for me it's useless. It does not "cancel out" the tinnitus... it just generates noise that is supposed to mask it (think white noise). I found that instead of trying to hear "around" the very narrow frequency range of my tinnitus, I had to try to hear "around" a much wider frequency range. The only analogy I can think of is helping you see around a toothpick by adding a telephone pole to the view.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:12 am
by RSX11
I'm a long term severe tinnitus sufferer (too many Grateful Dead concerts on the 1st and 2nd rows, along with an occasional round fired with no ear protection) and I've found two things that help me, one of them practical. I noticed when I've had about four good stiff drinks, the ringing goes away, but that's not a good daily solution. The other thing that quiets the bells is an old high blood pressure medicine, Hydrochlorothiazide. If you have high blood pressure already, think about having your doctor give this a try in place of or in addition to your regular BP medicine. It's really quieted mine down to a pretty tolerable level.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 9:25 am
by philip964
I generally only notice it when it is quiet, like now. Normal noise of the day cancels it out. So when I am going to bed and it is quiet, I use the TV to cancel it out. My wife is fine with the TV as it cancels out my snoring for her as well. I have found a DVD of a movie I know very well puts me to sleep immediately. Current favorites include: The Martian, Interstellar, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Borne Legacy, Independence Day and Dune.

I asked my doctor and he said there was nothing he could prescribe for me.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:18 am
by Topbuilder
oohrah wrote:The only thing that has reduced my tinnitus is hearing aids. One form at least, is the brain trying to compensate for loss of high frequencies. Hearing aids provide the high freq support.
Pretty sure this is me. First realization came when I had to disable the security system in our home. My wife said she would not miss the little chirp every time the door opened. I had not heard it in years :shock:

The tone I now hear is a tone I cannot otherwise hear. I was on a Utube page "this is the tone I hear all the time" of a tinnitus sufferer. Wasn't really picking it up. I kinda turned the volume up... nothing. Then my wife called from upstairs wanting to know what that noise was...

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:48 am
by BigGuy
RSX11 wrote:I'm a long term severe tinnitus sufferer (too many Grateful Dead concerts on the 1st and 2nd rows, along with an occasional round fired with no ear protection) and I've found two things that help me, one of them practical. I noticed when I've had about four good stiff drinks, the ringing goes away, but that's not a good daily solution. The other thing that quiets the bells is an old high blood pressure medicine, Hydrochlorothiazide. If you have high blood pressure already, think about having your doctor give this a try in place of or in addition to your regular BP medicine. It's really quieted mine down to a pretty tolerable level.
Doc just put me on Zestoretic, which is a combo of Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide. I took the first pill last Thursday. Seven days later the tinnitus is worse, not to mention it's kicking my butt pretty bad. I've got the shakes, can't stay awake, and get dizzy if I stand up too fast. I feel hypoglycemic, but eating has no effect. Doc told me to expect some side effects until my body gets used to the lower pressure. (165/98 to 127/73) Got my finger crossed it will get better. I don't think I can keep this up for much longer. I'll try to stay on the meds until next Dr. appointment in a little less than two weeks.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:18 pm
by puma guy
BigGuy wrote:
RSX11 wrote:I'm a long term severe tinnitus sufferer (too many Grateful Dead concerts on the 1st and 2nd rows, along with an occasional round fired with no ear protection) and I've found two things that help me, one of them practical. I noticed when I've had about four good stiff drinks, the ringing goes away, but that's not a good daily solution. The other thing that quiets the bells is an old high blood pressure medicine, Hydrochlorothiazide. If you have high blood pressure already, think about having your doctor give this a try in place of or in addition to your regular BP medicine. It's really quieted mine down to a pretty tolerable level.
Doc just put me on Zestoretic, which is a combo of Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide. I took the first pill last Thursday. Seven days later the tinnitus is worse, not to mention it's kicking my butt pretty bad. I've got the shakes, can't stay awake, and get dizzy if I stand up too fast. I feel hypoglycemic, but eating has no effect. Doc told me to expect some side effects until my body gets used to the lower pressure. (165/98 to 127/73) Got my finger crossed it will get better. I don't think I can keep this up for much longer. I'll try to stay on the meds until next Dr. appointment in a little less than two weeks.
I am on Olmesartan with Hydrochlorothiazide (Benicar/HCT) after being diagnosed with Meniere's disease. I had previously been on the same drug, but had been switched to just the Benicar due to kidney issues. After a severe attack of Meniere's and several subsequent attacks my ENT doc wanted me on a strong diuretic, but my cardiologist balked knowing my kidney issues. The Benicar/HCT was the compromise. I also take OTC generic Claritin to further reduce fluid build up in my ears. I have had severe tinnitus since my early 20's and I usually ignore it. Nothing I've tried helps. Mine changes tone and intensity at times for reasons I can't fathom and when I was suffering from the Menier's attack it was incredibly intense even though I lost hearing in both ears, especially the right ear. I already had significant hearing, loss but I was this was almost total deafness in the right ear. It has comeback but not to the level I had before. I tried hearing aids, but didn't like them. The med regimen I am using for the Meniere's plus cutting out salt and caffeine seems to have worked and I have only had to take anti-vert and anti nausea meds a couple of times. I don't think there is really an effective treatment for tinnitus.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:33 pm
by Abraham
I was prescribed hearing aids and they (for the most part) did away with my tin... however, they come with their own aggravation.

At $12000.00 for the pair, I quit wearing them and went back to being semi-deaf and re-acquiring tin.

Why would I do that?

Because the increase in overall noise acquirement was worse...and the disgust with ear gunk...and I can butcher an animal I've harvested...so ...

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 5:49 pm
by Topbuilder
Thanks for the input people. I felt like I was embarking on a snake oil experiment but want to try it before cutting coffee and 'gars. Looks like I will need to wear ear protection for everything from now on. Just running tractor today, not even at PTO speed, has it singing today.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:13 pm
by rotor
Aspirin overuse is one of the big causative agents here. No over the counter medications work. Most cases are of unknown etiology and don't respond to medical Rx. I have this a little, my younger brother a lot.

Re: Ginkgo for tinnitus ?

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:41 pm
by Sport Coach
Don't know about ginkgo but I'd steer you to the Houston Chronicle column, The People's Pharmacy. They write a regular column about holistic/natural remedies. peoplespharmacy.com
One guy I know, age 51, has had to use white noise hearing aids which he says keeps the ringing to a reasonable level. He got it years ago as a side effect from taking a particular medication. The best part of the hearing aids for him is they are blue tooth compatible so he walks around talking to himself without even an ear piece showing (he looks crazy).