Tinnitus Solutions [posted 10/16/98]
Question: Is there a solution to the tinnitis problem?

Answer: Not currently for most patients.

Tinnitus
Question: I have been prescribed Pamelor and Xanax for the treatment of Tinnitus. What kind of precautions should I take using this treatment? Is there any adverse interaction between these two drugs?

Answer: I doubt that either will work. On the other hand, there are really no effective treatments, so give it a try. There is little interaction between these two, except for somnolence. You should avoid alcohol or other drugs and not operate moving machinery or drive for long periods of time.

Tinnitus
Question: I have had tinnitus for almost five years. I first got it when I was 18 after listening to some (not very loud) music. I went to the doctor in a panic as I was unable to sleep or concentrate. I was given some tablets that did not help. Over the last five years I have gotten used to the constant noise in my ears, but at times it still bothers me. I know it is quite unusual for young people to get tinnitus, and wondered if there is a cure. I have heard that diet and alternative remedies have worked in some cases.

Answer: Tinnitus is one of the most frustrating and irritating problems in medicine. This is mainly because we have little idea about the causes, treatment, etc. I don�t know of one good treatment for tinnitus and there seems to be very little on the horizon.

Tinnitus
Question: I was diagnosed with Tinnitus several years ago. Recently, the noise level has increased from being tolerable to very intolerable. I am an American Retired living on the island of Cyprus with no help locally. The noise level is a steady hissing noise. By pressing my hand on the lower jaw and pressing upwards, pressing the right and left side of the jaw and pressing hard on the forehead the noise level increases as though I were turning a knob on a volume control up and down. I am age 65 and have been in good health until now. Do you have any suggestions as to whom I may contact for some advice on a remedy. I am taking no medication of any kind and am otherwise healthy.

Answer: Tinnitus is one of the more frustrating diagnosis to try and treat. That is because only a few things are correctable. Usually, the person continues to have tinnitus without any treatment or diagnosis available. First, get your hearing checked. If it is basically OK and especially relatively symmetrical, the odds of a tumor, etc., are small. Second, check B12 levels (or start l mg a day as replacement) and get a thyroid check. I suspect you can find a lab which will do a profile (about twenty tests of renal, liver and etc. check). If these are normal there probably won't be much anyone can do for your problem.

Tinnitus
Question: I am 30 years old and have been taking 20 mg of Prozac for 6 months for mild depression and anxiety. I have been experiencing ringing in both ears at night after I lay down to go to sleep. Is this a danger sign or something that just happens? Also, I do not take aspirin (which sometimes causes a ringing sound in your ears). I have TMJ and my jaws and ears "ache" (unlike an actual ear ache). Do any of these symptoms have anything in common?

Answer: Tinnitus is not a common symptom with Prozac. The only way to ascertain whether you are affected is to stop the drug for 4 or 5 days (after checking with your doctor). Tinnitus is occasionally caused by bruxism and TMJ syndrome, however we usually never find the cause and have few good treatments. In any case, your hearing needs to be assessed to rule out an acoustic neuroma and your ENT can assess you for TMJ at the same time.

Symptoms
Question: Ringing in ear. Live in dry desert climate. Vacationing in Europe sympton disappeared. Upon return condition worse than ever. Suggestions for cause and treatment?

Answer: Tinnitus is one of the most difficult problerns to treat. A complete hearing evaluation and ENT evaluation is necessary, but these are generally non-productive. The nerve to the hearing apparatus is the highest charged nerve in the body and consequently very prone to damage. It is interesting that your tinnitus disappears during certain climatic conditions. I really have no idea why this should be, but does make one believe that you might be one of the few with a correctable problem.

Relafen
Question: I am taking an anti-inflammatory Relafen I have developed ringing in the ears do you know what causes this?

Answer: It seems to effect the electrical potential of the ear which is the highest nerve potential in the body. However, no one seems perfectly clear.
Back to Drug InfoNet Home Page.