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Hi everyone, and happy new year. It's been a little over 6 months since my acoustic trauma, and I wanted to post a little update. First, I feel as though I've settled into a new normal. I have tinnitus. I'm living with it. I don't like it, and there's nothing I can do to change it. Second, my...

Hi @ElliottC - I'm so sorry that you're going through this at such a young age. I work with youth and am always freaked out by how much time they spend with AirPods on at max volume. I fear we've set our youngest generation up for lifelong acoustic consequences. It doesn't sound like you're in...

Hi @Anima - I really appreciate your kind, supportive words. I also value your perspective, and will consider your advice. I am currently in a discussion with the company about whether or not my money back window has closed, so it may be that the fates help me make this decision. At any rate...

Hi All, A tiny update as I am treating myself with my 660 nm headset. I realized this week that my 90-day money back window to return my LLLT device closes in a couple days. I'm mulling whether or not to return my device. This is part of a larger question I've been wrestling with about the...

Hi @DeanD - thanks for asking, and sorry I missed this question. I've been mostly posting about my LLLT experiences over at this thread (I don't know how to link straight to a particular point on the thread, but my most recent post is down at the bottom of that page). To answer your questions...

Hi @Ben Jammin - love your handle and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to be one of your unfortunate welcoming committee. My onset was due to an acoustic trauma, different enough from what you're describing that I'm not sure I can weigh in with anything useful relative to your tinnitus itself...

Hi @Heikai - sorry to hear about your worsening condition. I encourage you not to try to figure out why your tinnitus is worse (whether the trip to the city, the HBOT, or something entirely different) and to focus on caring for your wellbeing. I see that you've got access to a benzo, which is...

Hey @AnonymousHamster - I'm hoping that you'll have some more good news to report. I also hear the ups and downs have been an emotional struggle, especially with the impact to your work and finances. I salute your decision to explore CBT - for all the ways I've tried healing since my acoustic...

Hi All, I'm back with a little update. It's been a while since I've done an LLLT post. That's due in part to the fact that I've traveled these past couple weeks, and partly due to the fact that my symptoms - while very much better than they were when I first experienced my acoustic trauma -...

Hi @CJCP - I love the realistic optimism of this post. I'm also coming up on 6 months post acoustic trauma, so resonate with so much of what you wrote. I appreciate your desire to post so that those who are in a panicked state can see that things can get better, even though the improvements...

Hey @Pauli - thanks for posting the update. I'm glad you're at least finding ways to minimize the impact that your tinnitus has on your sleep and daily routines. I hope you continue to see improvements!

Out of curiosity, @Lane - where did you buy the mHBOT chamber, and how much was it?

Hi @VickiD - I'm sorry you've been suffering so much. I've found Mirtazapine to be helpful in terms of getting my baseline of stress and anxiety to a more manageable level. I'm curious to know whether you've noticed any positive developments from it. Wishing you peace, calm and quiet!

Yay - happy to hear your optimism, @AnonymousHamster. We're here for your updates, regardless of whether they're to report a positive development or a challenging setback :)

Hi @AnonymousHamster - I'm just catching up on this thread, and want to chime in to concur the great insights and support that @Joe Cuber and @Lane have been offering. The early stages of tinnitus can be maddening and disorienting, and can feel catastrophic - I'm sorry that you're in the throes...

Hi @Theezy - I'm so sorry to read about how much you're struggling right now. @SmallRonnie mentioned this a couple weeks ago, and I want to reiterate it here: a fast-acting benzo, such as Xanax, would probably be useful to you when you're in a spiral of despair. Additionally, building a...

Hi All, Just wanted to post a brief update that I'm doing a short course of LLLT before a trip this weekend. All my symptoms seem to have settled to consistent baselines - sometimes they feel manageable, sometimes they feel way more annoying than I want to deal with. The treatment routine I've...

Hi @Noname2020x - I'm sorry to hear you're suffering so much! I'd recommend that you investigate a low dose antianxiety or antidepressant to take the edge off so that you can stabilize. Personally, I've found 0.25mg of Xanax helps with panic attacks (I've only taken it maybe 5-7 times ever, in...

Hi @Artemis2K - I like the way you've thought through the possibilities and potential limitations of LLLT. I tend to agree that, once a hair cell is dead, it probably stays that way. Nevertheless, I remain cautiously hopeful that the LLLT does something that can help at least with acute cochlear...

Just be careful of the firecrackers during fiestas, @CW Dragon :) Thanks for sharing the wise words of @Tom 2020 and yes, we'll both make it to that two year mark! I'm glad you're hanging in there, even though I know it's tough. My tinnitus has settled into a pretty steady, low-mid "eeeee,"...

I'm with you about headphones, @HopefulFranky - it's one of the big losses I've experienced since my acoustic trauma this summer. I do support your choice to say away from them, though, and agree that they're the likely culprit of your current auditory woes. I can also relate to your sadness...

Hi @Liz13 - I agree with @Stuart-T that it is near certain that your current condition is a direct result of the concert, and that things will improve with time. I also agree that staying away from loud concerts is a wise move. Hopefully the Prednisone will help some, as you are within the...

Hi @Stephen1985 - first, my condolences to you about your dad. I'm so sorry. Second, it seems like the spike you're experiencing may be caused as much by the stress of your life right now than anything else. I'd guess that, since you were making progress, it's likely that things will calm down...

Hey @Theezy - I'd strongly recommend having your GP prescribe a benzo to be used for panic attacks (be careful, they're addictive) and an antidepressant to lower the overall baseline on your stress and anxiety. Personally, I've found relief with Xanax (for panic) and Mirtazapine (for my...

I bounce between cycles of feeling like "I can do this," and others, like "my life is ruined." I do think that if you can find a healthy, safe way to release anger and frustration, it's fine to do so - unfortunately, for many of us, yelling and screaming just makes the symptoms worse :( I'm...

Hey @Heikai - yes, I have many thoughts about LLLT. They range from "it actually seems to help," to "it's making my tinnitus spike," any improvements are just a placebo effect. I encourage you to read through this thread - admittedly, it's lengthy, but it really helped me in my decision to...

Hi @Anima - thank you for your encouraging and wise words. I appreciate both the reassurance you provide, and the specific treatment tips! I'll take your advice and have a break, and as I restart I'll dial down my treatment times a bit per your recommendations. Thanks again, and I hope you are...

Hi all, another update: I completed 10 days of LLLT, and, as I mentioned in my previous post, things seemed to be moving in a very positive direction. So much so, in fact, that I decided to add two additional (unplanned) days onto my regime before taking a break. In the past 24 hours, the...

I'm sure others may have input on this. I've been self-treating with LLLT at home about 4 months after an acoustic trauma, and have seen a positive correlation between the LLLT and a reduction in my tinnitus and sound sensitivity. I really can't say for sure if it's just natural healing, or the...

Welcome, @Matildasweden - I agree with those above and encourage you to let go of your regret and self-blame (I know, easier said than done :) I found that - like @Joe Cuber - taking an antidepressant helped with this. And, as @Blackbird1016 said, it may (and hopefully will) get at least...

Posting a quick update for those who have been checking in on this thread. I've been increasing my "dosage" of LLLT and alternating between the 660 nm and the 808 nm devices now for about a week. I'll do a couple more days and then take a break. Over the course of my week of treatment, I have...

Just make sure that, if they measure your loudness tolerance (unlikely unless you go to a hyperacusis specialist), they go slow with the upward progression of sounds, as I have read that people have had spikes from that. If they're simply measuring your hearing threshold, it's unlikely there'll...

Likewise, @CW Dragon - I appreciate accompanying you as a fellow traveler on this crazy path! I'm also O negative and am not sure I buy any correlation between my blood type and my susceptibility to hearing loss. And, at least in my case, I'm not surprised that my left ear was affected, as I...

I agree with @Stuart-T that normal, everyday sounds should theoretically be ok. That said, you know your auditory system best, so my best advice is to listen to your body and exercise common-sense caution. I'm happy to hear that you seem to be dealing with everything and living your life...

Hi @Heikai - looks like you've got a nice list of supplements. I'm curious to know if you went to the ENT and whether you found anything out. As for your worry about whether you should be out in the world and your desire to turn back time, I really encourage you to ease up on yourself in those...

Hi @Pauli - glad to read about your updates, and sorry that you've had such a rough go of it. Some of your symptoms sound similar to those I've been dealing with, so I've been interestedly reading through this thread. In terms of flying, I'm probably not the example to use - between 2-6 weeks...

Hi @Heikai - I'm so sorry to hear how panicked you are about your new symptoms. I concur with @Wrfortiscue - be kind to your ears and to yourself. I'm generally not huge on medication, but can personally report positive effects from anti-anxiety meds (benzos) for acute panic and antidepressants...

Hi, all! Just wanted to give a quick update to say that, since getting some reassurance, advice and encouragement from members here, I've returned to nightly LLLT treatments. I've done four so far: in order, 15 minutes (660 nm), 12 minutes (808 nm), 18 minutes (660 nm) and 14 minutes (808 nm)...

Welcome, @MichaelPoll - fellow Peace Corps vet here, though much more of a newbie to tinnitus. I hear how your journey has been solitary, and I'm glad you joined this community. I've found it incredibly supportive, and hope you will too. I wish you healing, connection and, ideally, silence!

Hi @Aloman278 - I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with a scary spike. I recognize that it's easy for me to say this, yet it seems likely that you're spike continue to reduce in intensity, hopefully all the way back to your original baseline (or, in an even more ideal world, out of your perception...

I definitely support your desire to determine whether a TBI is at play, @CW Dragon - the one thing I would advise is that you seek input from members here, and also medical specialists, who know about MRIs and their impact on tinnitus and hyperacusis. I've not had one personally, but understand...

@Anima - thank you for the reply. I really appreciate your insight and experienced wisdom regarding all things LLLT. I've not mentioned this directly to you, and want to take the opportunity now to let you know how much your consistent reporting through the ups and downs of your LLLT journey...

Quick update to say that I did a 15-minute treatment with the 660 nm headset and the modified eartips. The one thing that scares me about LLLT is emitting a laser so close to my brain, and using the modified ear tips (which are emitting an even wider laser beam) only intensifies this fear. I'm...

Hi @Ron Stallworth - welcome to the forum! I'm also relatively new here, and the circumstances that led to my auditory woes are very different from yours, so I'll leave any advising to those wiser and with more similar stories, but I want to salute your desire to advocate for research and...

Thank you, @SoundB0und - your reply about my earbud questions was super-helpful. I understand now why cutting makes a difference, and think I'll try it - honestly, I have no clue whether the light is hitting my cochlea with the unmodified ear tips. Also, interesting to hear that you seem to...

Thanks for the detailed update, @CW Dragon :) I'll start where you left off - I do believe that time heals, even though it's way easier for me to believe that about everyone else but myself. So, I'll keep on believing it for you! As to your sadness about OTO-413, that's not something I've been...

Hey @SoundB0und (and anyone else reading with LLLT experience) - I've gone through endless pages of LLLT discussions this evening trying to discern whether there is anything I should try out in my next run of treatment. Do you have any input on the following: 1. Cutting 5 mm from the base of...

Woohoo indeed! Glad you're able to celebrate those little things @everesting. Wishing you healing...

Thank you for the info, @SoundB0und - as always, I truly appreciate your wisdom and perspective. I'm aware that I have been quite conservative in my initial approach to LLLT (and, if I'm honest, quite scared of it). I'm holding the idea that, to really see whether this is going to work for me...

Hi all, it's been almost a week since I posted an update on how things have shifted for me since my initial 10 days of self-administered LLLT with the emLas-520BCB - I've got you in mind here, @CW Dragon :) First, the good news: it seems like the "swish" overtone that had emerged after...

Hey @CW Dragon - nice to see an update from you! I hear you about the price tag for the LLLT. I was going to post an update this weekend, but perhaps I'll get it together this evening or tomorrow. Regarding your uncertainty, the only thing I hope for you is that you don't stress out wondering...

Hey @everesting - welcome to the forum, and sorry to hear about your downs. My humble opinion is that you're on the right track to be noticing the connection your anxiety has to your tinnitus. I can't speak much to medication other than to say that I've had a positive experience taking half the...

I second what @CW Dragon said - thanks for the optimistic update, @Thomas_83.

Hi @Bdnp12 - first off, I'm sorry you're experiencing such a strong spike/setback. I don't know details about your LLLT experience (strength of laser, time of treatment, number of sessions, etc) but as @SmallRonnie stated, many do report these types of spikes, and they tend to be temporary...

Hi all, this is my final of 10 nights of documenting my experience with at-home LLLT. Day 10: Today, like yesterday, my tinnitus was a bit less intrusive, 3/10 to 4/10, generally speaking. When I began this evening's treatment, it was at about a 4/10. I used the 808 nm headset, and I set the...

Hi all, I'm now closing in on the end of 10 days of LLLT documentation. Day 9: My tinnitus seemed to dip in volume today after having been spiked at between 5/10 and 6/1o since the weekend. It was probably around a 4/10 for a lot of the day, and there were some moments when I wasn't thinking...

Ooof, I'm sorry to hear that you're still struggling so much, @MaxRabbit. Hoping for a positive shift for you!

Hi all, continuing with my LLLT documentation. Day 8: I'm still generally experiencing a spike in my tinnitus, though it hasn't really shifted up or down much since the weekend. Tonight's treatment consisted of 11 minutes with the 808 nm by headset (one more minute than I spent the last time I...

Hi @Jupiterman - I'm with you in being unsure whether there's any benefit to the laser treatment. There are scientific articles that members have posted throughout the many pages of this thread, some of which demonstrate positive correlations between lasers and cellular regeneration. There are...

Hi all, nightly LLLT update here. Day 7: My tinnitus spike that began over the weekend is persisting, hovering between 5/10 and 6/10. Today I considered pausing my treatment, but decided that since I'm far from feeling catastrophic about the increase in tinnitus volume, I'd proceed with today's...