Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Tinnitus — Long-Lasting Everyday Home-Practiced Experiences

[1000]

Having read through this thread and a dozen others - is it safe to say that LLLT is "not" useful for tinnitus and may or may not be slightly useful for hearing loss???

Correct.

 

[Jan64]

My not so final conclusion is that LLLT can be effective with tinnitus in the acute state (onset 3-6 month). The earlier the better... I use a Konftec 66o nm to beat spikes due to an evening of loud music and talking. Preferably treat just after the evening and then the next morning for a few hours.
I do not think LLLT is effective when the tinnitus is more chronic.
Kind regards, Jan

 

[SilentWay]

Hi Jan, does that mean you've seen minimal improvement in your T with LLLT? Or does it mean your hearing improves but the T does not reduce?

Thanks.

 

[SilentWay]

@lymebite Thank you for your contribution! I do recognise the problem with the ear tips. I cut with a pair of scissors appro. 5 millimeters from the base. So not the top half but a part of the bottem so the special shaped top wil go in het first part of the outer ear canal. Do you also use the Konftec? If so what is your 'protocol'?

Hi Jan, I've just done the same modification to the ear tips as you - i.e. cut 5mm from the base. The shorter total bud length almost doubles the diameter (or width) of the beam at where I approximate the cochlea to be. Also as far as I can tell the laser modules (for me anyway) sit better in the ear without any angle change from the standard bud length. Seems like it must be a win.

 

[Allan Mcmillan]

Hi Jan, I've just done the same modification to the ear tips as you - i.e. cut 5mm from the base. The shorter total bud length almost doubles the diameter (or width) of the beam at where I approximate the cochlea to be. Also as far as I can tell the laser modules (for me anyway) sit better in the ear without any angle change from the standard bud length. Seems like it must be a win.

My not so final conclusion is that LLLT can be effective with tinnitus in the acute state (onset 3-6 month). The earlier the better... I use a Konftec 66o nm to beat spikes due to an evening of loud music and talking. Preferably treat just after the evening and then the next morning for a few hours.
I do not think LLLT is effective when the tinnitus is more chronic.
Kind regards, Jan

I'm also thinking about getting a konftec since I'm still in the acute phrase (barely 3 months). I believe that it may be effective for me. Would you recommend getting the konftec over the Wilden laser?

 

[lymebite]

I've just done the same modification to the ear tips as you - i.e. cut 5mm from the base.

@Jan64 and @Paul Dyson

I wondered if you would post photos of the ear tip after you have made the modification of cutting off the 5 mm? I am trying to figure out where to cut and photos would be really helpful to see.

Thanks much!

 

[Allan Mcmillan]

@Jan64 and @Paul Dyson

I wondered if you would post photos of the ear tip after you have made the modification of cutting off the 5 mm? I am trying to figure out where to cut and photos would be really helpful to see.

Thanks much!

Basically, you cut the bottom half of the eartip. It's the part that goes on the laser

 

[David Dorci]

Im new to this conversation. Can you guys tell me what you use and how?
I get laser therapy at my chiropractor but he points it at the back of my head,neck. Im 6 months in

 

[Jan64]

Im new to this conversation. Can you guys tell me what you use and how?

Please read the thread...

I get laser therapy at my chiropractor but he points it at the back of my head,neck.

That is not the kind of lasertherapy which is discussed in this thread. In this threat the laser radiates the inner ear.

Im 6 months in

To my opinion (see other posts) lasertherapy might be effective in the acute fase... '6 month in' is at the border.

 

[mrbrightside614]

@Jan64 would you mind posting a video of your usage perhaps? I know laser therapy is one of the questionable alternatives as it relates to pain (specifically disc-related and thus what I surmise to be nerve pain). Do you have any experience with alternative uses of your machine? I'm a little past 3 months in (onset between June 18th car accident and specific unyielding spike July 19th).

 

[Jan64]

@Jan64 would you mind posting a video of your usage perhaps?

Hi Mrbrightside614, There is actually nothing special about my usage: I just cut with a sharp knife 5 mm of the base of the part which goes into your ears (the eartip). So it fits better.
I do not have experience with alternative use of the laser. I solely use it for radiating my cochlea. You are not in the really chronic phase now. You might have benefit from using a laser.

 

[Jan64]

My example is Hansi: http://www.progressrec.com/curing-tinnitus.html

This link does not work anymore... The inspirational story of late Hansi Cross about his experience with LLLT can be obtained here: https://web.archive.org/web/20170822100717/http://www.progressrec.com/curing-tinnitus.html

Unfortunately Mr. Cross passed away a few years ago (2017?) due to cancer.

 

[Jan64]

I'm also thinking about getting a konftec since I'm still in the acute phrase (barely 3 months). I believe that it may be effective for me. Would you recommend getting the konftec over the Wilden laser?

I am biased I admit. Around 2002 I started with an Laser from dr Wilden. It was a 50mW 650 nm model. But after a few years that device broke down... I searched the internet and saw the Konftec device (in 2014) . Much cheaper... I was not sure about the quality... I gave it a try, ordered the 650 and 808 model for about $800. I only use the 650 model.. when I have a spike... Working since 2013...

 

[vttbx]

I am biased I admit. Around 2002 I started with an Laser from dr Wilden. It was a 50mW 650 nm model. But after a few years that device broke down... I searched the internet and saw the Konftec device (in 2014) . Much cheaper... I was not sure about the quality... I gave it a try, ordered the 650 and 808 model for about $800. I only use the 650 model.. when I have a spike... Working since 2013...

How long do you usually use the laser for a spike? When you say it helps with your spike, is it immediate or delayed?

 

[Jan64]

How long do you usually use the laser for a spike? When you say it helps with your spike, is it immediate or delayed?

Till the spike is over, this can be 2-3 month... It is delayed... but laser is not the only thing I do... Prednisolone, Pentoxifylline, see my other posts...

 

[Caveman]

I've just found out Hansi Cross died of cancer.

Does anybody know if it was brain cancer? I think it's extremely important that we make sure laser therapy is safe and unrelated to cancer!

 

[Jan64]

I've just found out Hansi Cross died of cancer.

Does anybody know if it was brain cancer? I think it's extremely important that we make sure laser therapy is safe and unrelated to cancer!

I can't find information about the kind of cancer... But... do you really think a beam of light of max 0,1 W would cause cancer...? There are no scientific studies which indicate a relationship between cancer and LLLT.

 

[DenisA]

A preliminary study on the efficacy and safety of low level light therapy in the management of cochlear tinnitus: A single blind randomized clinical trial.
Choi JE, et al. Int Tinnitus J. 2019.

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-level light therapy (LLLT) using new irradiation parameters for chronic unilateral tinnitus with cochlear dysfunction.

DESIGN: A single-blind, randomized clinical trial.

SETTING: Tertiary-care hospital center.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants who had a history of chronic unilateral tinnitus (≥ 3 months) and pure-tone thresholds greater than 15dB (averaged for 3k, 4k, and 6k Hz).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Numerical rating scales (NRS) measuring loudness, duration, and annoyance, the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), and psychoacoustical matches of tinnitus loudness and minimum masking levels (MML).

RESULTS: Thirty-eight participants were received either a 100-mW diode laser at 830-nm (TINI group; n=19) or placebo (sham group; n=19) irradiation through the tympanic membrane. No adverse events were reported during 2 weeks of 10-interventions (20 minutes/day, five days/week). The NRS measuring duration of tinnitus and psychoacoustical matches of tinnitus loudness significantly decreased over times in the TINI group (p<0.05). However, post-hoc analysis revealed that there was no significant decrease of tinnitus among different time points (baseline, during LLLT, immediately after LLLT, and two weeks after LLLT). There was no placebo effect in the Sham group. Participants who improved the duration by at least one point or improved the loudness matches by more than 5 dB SL two weeks after LLLT tended to have worse pure-tone thresholds. It may suggest that further study is needed in patients with worse pure-tone thresholds to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of LLLT.

CONCLUSION: Although this preliminary result is insufficient to support the therapeutic efficacy of new laser device for chronic tinnitus, further study is needed in a large number of selected patients.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31469529/

 

[Jan64]

I had to take some Diazepam to go back to sleep. At 6.30 am, I awaked up and it was not gone yet., what made me feel really upset, because it's very intrusive. It's now 13.30 and I can still here it together with all the other tones that are also louder than usual. Do you know if laser could have spiked it and should I be worried about that and stop the therapy?

Read through the thread, I think it is possible that Diazepam caused the spike...

 

[Caveman]

Hi Mrbrightside614, There is actually nothing special about my usage: I just cut with a sharp knife 5 mm of the base of the part which goes into your ears (the eartip). So it fits better.
I do not have experience with alternative use of the laser. I solely use it for radiating my cochlea. You are not in the really chronic phase now. You might have benefit from using a laser.

Why do you think LLLT only works in the acute phase of tinnitus? Why would it be ineffective for chronic sufferers?

 

[Jan64]

Why do you think LLLT only works in the acute phase of tinnitus? Why would it be ineffective for chronic sufferers?

This is not a scientific statement... But based on experiences of contributors of this threat...

 

[Tom Wilton]

Red Light to heal your auditory system? Seems like snake oil to me!

 

[Jan64]

Red Light to heal your auditory system? Seems like snake oil to me!

Low level light is used to radiate the cochlea... healing processes start... Just look up the research done on this subject...

 

[Caveman]

This is not a scientific statement... But based on experiences of contributors of this threat...

Umh... I disagree. Some audiograms I've seen indicate that LLLT is capable of reversing the cochlear damage even when it's acquired through the years...

 

[mrbrightside614]

Hey everybody, I'm starting a log as my Konftec 808nm system just showed in the mail (quick shipping!)

Background information:
June 19th—head on collision, airbag deploy—hyperacusis starts (mainly in the left ear but the right suffers from excessive startle as well). I may have developed my first tone in this period (low, machine-like whirring), but it was the summer and a lot of construction was going on. I almost always assumed something was going on faintly in the distance and the tone didn't bother me at that time. During this time I had no idea what was happening to me. I worked as a strength trainer for a local high school and the dropping of weights, the slamming of doors, any music (especially the START of tracks) was giving me horrible, debilitating headaches and ocular migraines. Fight or flight response issued during triggers; I figured it was just PTSD and that it would go away.

July 18th I did not remove myself from the triggers early enough and I woke up in the middle of the night to an unmistakable EEEEEEE that would never go away. I was only on Zoloft for three days but my doc yanked me off of it in case it was the Zoloft, but denied my cries for prednisone. I don't look back on that day with the same regret as I once did, considering many acoustic trauma-induced tinnituses/hyperacusis origins do not go away even with prompt courses of the appropriate doses of oral steroids. I have had a moderately severe tinnitus ever since. At times I have heard up to three or four tones—the whir, the EEE, a shimmer (pixie dust), and something horrible that happens when I'm in between being asleep and awake. It may be exploding head syndrome. I was hospitalized a little over a month ago because I was sleeping about 2 hours every two days. Eventually the docs kind of "righted" this issue with 300mg Quetiapine and 15mg Remeron. Ever since then sleep has not been as much of an issue, but as you all know about the unconscious ramifications of tinnitus it still ultimately affects our time spent in REM and in stage 4 (deep, restorative) sleep. I sleep about 9 hours every day and wake up feeling tired still.

Presently, I woke up with a lot of mental energy and low tinnitus today. This is very rare. Usually, the more tired I am when I wake up, the less I notice the tinnitus because my senses are so dulled from poor sleep/medication sides. The more energy I have when I wake up, the more acute my senses, the better firing of my neurons...the louder the tinnitus. The EEEEE is by far the most intrusive of the tones. My audiogram is shit but they say I have no hearing loss (up to 8 kHz...)

I just tried the Konftec—2 rounds of 10 minutes before and after a cold hike here in Ohio. It's a pleasant sensation, but the mere tactile presence of it is perhaps what make people perceive "spikes" post-treatment. I shove the tip pretty deep in there (that's what he said) because it feels like my left ear always wants to reject things inserted in this. This could be caused by my messed up jaw alignment, which I am also seeking treatment for ($18K over 36 months...)

I will be updating if I notice pretty much anything of note but until then, I plan on using this for 10 minutes three times per day. If anyone else has suggestion on "dosing" protocols, please let me know. I've inquired about Lenire through email as of yesterday because of @Redknight's similar symptom profile to me and his encouraging progress. No answer on that front as of yet.

 

[Jan64]

Umh... I disagree. Some audiograms I've seen indicate that LLLT is capable of reversing the cochlear damage even when it's acquired through the years...

That is good to read! I think a lot of Tinnitus Talk members are interested. Were the those improvements significant?

 

[Jan64]

I plan on using this for 10 minutes three times per day. If anyone else has suggestion on "dosing" protocols, please let me know.

Compared to the professional treatments your dose is quite low. I do 2 * 45 minutes.... You could consider to rank it up to 2 times 30 minutes...

 

[Caveman]

That is good to read! I think a lot of Tinnitus Talk members are interested. Were the those improvements significant?

Yes... here is an example:

 

[Jan64]

Yes... here is an example:

Hi Caveman,
Thank you! Really great results!! Can you indicate what device (mW and nm) and what protocol you use?
Thanks in advance!
Jan

 

[Caveman]

Hi Caveman,
Thank you! Really great results!! Can you indicate what device (mW and nm) and what protocol you use?
Thanks in advance!
Jan

The audiogram isn't mine. That guy used Dr. Wilden's device (30mW per ear, 650nm)!