The most effective treatment known today is rTMS. Not much discussion on this board about it, probably because it is more invasive, and generally only available as a research participant.

Stevedad: Explain rTMS for tinnitus? We are all curious now.

TRT seems to have the proven track record - everyone here commenting on TRT - say something positive

Everyone on this board who tried Neuromonics - is feeling ripped off right now

When you look at the logistics of Neuromonics - it is hard to see why it would work.

When you read the testimonials and read about the science of TRT - it kinda makes sense.

Thankyou for the advice on the Neuromonics. There is a place not to far from me that does TRT, and they are sending me some information on it.

Thanks,
April

Mandie---I think there are archived discussions on this topic, and if you google it you will find a lot. Here is one such study:

http://www.tameyourtinnitus.com/blog/2008/03/rtms-help-for-tinnitus.html

I read the archives - and I read about 200 different articles on TRT and Neuromonics - the doc I am seeing does both and she is so excited about Neuromonics.

I read several posts right here on Neuromonics - two of the people were really discouraged - they were in phase 2 and had already forked over $5000.00 plus they were past the refund stage -

They could not perceive their tinnitus diminishing or they tolerance for listening to tinnitus improve.

There is a doctor in Houston - out of all the people I personally talked to - she seemed to be the only one not driven towards the money -

She emailed me several times and I talked on the phone with her assistant - they were extremely patient about the whole thing.

If I had the money right now - I would go for the TRT - three people have given me their email address and offered to go step by step with me on TRT as it has worked for them -

I keep trying to find something with the track record of TRT - desperately searching to save the money - but it only works with a small percentage and the rest go on suffering.

I would like to look into the rTMS thing - I will google that today.

TRT is the gold standard for therapeutic help. Neuromonics is just an expensive gadget masker. No real hands on therapy goes with it. I never did either. TRT and Neuromonics in Connecticut is $5000 and the wait is 3 months for TRT. I have heard of NO testimonials for Neuromonics but have for TRT. Before trying it though I would ask for a success rate on your particular type of tinnitus. For me I would like to know if someone with reactive, high frequency pulsatile t with slight hyperacusis can be treated successfully. Are clinicians honest and willing to give you that information? As far as medication there is not one that will quiet the clinical reason for the noise, not one. The anti anxiety meds just calm you down so the noise appears to not bother you as much.

Can someone explain to me what pulsatile Tinnitus Is? I don't have 5,000 dollars right now, so I guess I will have to wait on the TRT.
To bad it is so expensive. I live in Connecticut and the place I called is in hamden.

Thanks,
April

SteveDad, just genuinely curious not doubting you. Could you qualify the "rTMS most effective treatment comment" a bit more? How is that rTMS is the most effective treatment; what are the indications/reports it is? Thanks.

April,

Yes, Hamden is the place that I called as well. There are not many TRT people in the northeast so that is why the wait is so long.

Pulsatile tinnitus is the type of ear noise that is perceived as a rhythmic pulsing that is often in time with the heartbeat. Most of the time is is benign but has been linked to carotid artery blockage or something vascular. Anyway I came to believe after living with it for over a year that it isn't so bad. In a way because it is rhythmic it gives me a nano second of quiet between beats. Hey, I'll take some quiet no matter how short it is.

-Mark

Are these the best available treatments for Tinnitus? They seem to be very expensive, but I keep reading about them. what about medications?are there any that help Tinnitus? I am not sure that I can afford the TRT or Neuromonics at this time.

TRT and Neuromonics are 2 of the more widely accepted methods of treating tinnitus. You can also add CBT to the list even though there are no CBT practitioners that specialize in tinnitus. The first 2 here whilst using music or white noise to partially mask your tinnitus also to provide some couselling to basically change the way you react to it. Thats it crudely, there are lots of factors to take into account. They are both expensive($3k - $5k or more).
What you will eventually find along your journey is that the more knowledge you have about tinnitus, the easier it will become to live with it. Eventually it will probably become an annoyance instead of being something that causes you distress.
If you have a spare $50 I suggest you get a hold of "A Self-Management Guide for the Ringing in Your Ears: Jane L. Henry, Peter H. Wilson" try Amazon, the ATA, Thriftbooks etc.....
I also suggest you use an iPod or MP3 Player and load it up with some surf/rain/waterfall etc...sounds and some easy listening music.
If you use these suggestions and try to regard your tinnitus as an annoyance when you are aware of it instead of being angry or upset about it then you will eventually habituate anyway at a point in time.
As for meds? well xanax seems to be the pick of the a/d's. I hav'nt used it and have heard some negatives about getting of it as it but it's horses for courses, if it helps then go for it.
rTMS from what I have read has resulted in a temporary reduction in tinnitus severity. Maybe in future it might offer something but at this point it's still in the research stage.

Snow-
Fair question to a pretty bold assertion on my part.

First, I will qualify my contention that rTMS is the "most effective" treatment by saying "probably" the most effective. Additionally, the truth is I don't know as much about TRT, though, have read and heard about it like others. I have spent more time with the rTMS stuff, and, almost entered a clinical trial.

What impresses me most about rTMS is that this approach has a proven track record for treating depression and anxiety, and, only in the past several years was it found to help with T. Sort of like cognitive therapy--designed for depression but found to help other issues as well. But, more importantly to my knowledge there have been more "controlled" studies done with rTms showing good outcome then what I am aware of with TRT, but, this could also reflect my lack of knowledge with TRT research.

There are presently at least 2 US govt trials taking place with the use of rTMS for treating T, which, follows non US research that shows good outcomes. I consider data showing greater then 50% of users of any treatment having good or very good results impressive. Not perfect but very good, at this stage of the game.

Just doing a brief review of research I gleaned the following, and in doing so, thanks to you, I discovered the first (that I know of) clinic offering rTMS--it is in several locations in Canada. I will post a new thread mentioning this, and, it's the last link of this post.

I may be wrong about rTMS being superior to TRT or some other approach--I just don't know about it, and, if someone does know this, then I stand humbly corrected:

http://www.healinglightseminars.com/biolibrary/Tinnitus.pdf

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070928221928.htm

http://www.tameyourtinnitus.com/blog/2008/03/rtms-help-for-tinnitus.html

http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/show/NCT00876720

http://www.mindcarecentres.com/patient.aspx#rTMS

I came across this 'treatment' and the only reason I gave it a second look as it had Dr. Vernon's name attached to it - my impression he is reasonably well respected re: T. My wife also dug up a study (Phase-shift tinnitus treatment: an open prospective clinical trial (B-ENT, 2007,3 Suppl. 7, 65-69) which this treatment seems to be based on (i.e. duplicate).

Seems new, so anyone have any ideas? Also, located in NYC for those northeasterners.

http://www.tinnitusphase-out.com/company.html

Jim

rTMS is not invasive, but unless someone is taking $ for a not yet approved or refined treatment it is only available thru research studies.