Tinnitus is a ringing or other sound one hears that is produced by the nervous system and only they can hear it. Tinnitus creates many problems in people’s lives, including insomnia, trouble concentrating, cognitive impairment, and headaches, also making it difficult in social situations and relationships. It can be caused by damage inside or around the cochlea of the ear or from things that disturb the nervous system by crossing the blood brain barrier.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
- Sensorineural hearing loss (e.g., from noise exposure, age-related damage)
- Ototoxic medications (e.g., aminoglycosides, aspirin)
- Acoustic trauma (loud noise exposure)
- Cochlear nerve irritation (tumors, inflammation)
- Mold exposure/accumulation
- Environmental toxin exposure/accumulation
- Toxic metals exposure/accumulation
- Sars-CoV-2 glycoproteins / COVID
- Other Chronic Infections
- Leaky Blood brain barrier (caused by any of the above)
The key is finding out when the tinnitus began. Toxin exposure can come from our environment, our work, our food. Some toxins that can contribute to tinnitus are toxic metals, mold, pesticides and other neurotoxins. There are infections that we get, especially viruses, that can live and inflame the nervous system including the cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear nerve) that innervates the cochlea. If tinnitus is from physical damage, we can still see improvement but not always eradication of all symptoms.
If the tinnitus began after a toxin exposure we can use urine tests and specific detoxifications methods to alleviate the nervous system from the burden. If this is the main cause then the tinnitus will resolve. Many toxin related tinnitus is healed by avoiding the toxin and then taking Liposomal Glutathione 400mg daily for 6 months. Any detoxing needs to be begin with assuring the bowels are moving well and one is taking a binding fiber such as psyllium, flax or other similar.
If the tinnitus began after an infection, or a specific injection then it depends which one. Chronic infections that live in the nervous system such as EBV, CMV, HHV 1,2,5,6 can be tested and treated by a naturopathic physician, typically with High dose (50 grams) IV Vitamin C.
If tinnitus began after exposure to mold in home or workplace, then testing and treatment is needed. Mycotoxin tests can tell you what kind of mold you are dealing with. The treatments are to remove yourself from the exposure first and foremost. Treatments include a variety of oral binders like G.I. Detox, that pull bile salts out via the stool. The bile attaches to mold toxins that the body is trying to get rid of via the colon.
If the tinnitus began after Covid or Covid-related injection then we treat accordingly. Many Sars CoV-2 related symptoms are neurological, such as loss of taste and smell, and tinnitus.
SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins, particularly the S1 subunit, can cross the BBB and interact with neural and immune receptors—especially nAChRs—triggering a wide range of neurological symptoms, both acute and long-term.
Here’s a comprehensive list of neurological symptoms linked to SARS-CoV-2 glycoproteins based on current research and clinical observations.
The best thing nature has given us to knock out these toxic glycoproteins off of our vital nAChRs receptors is nicotine, as it binds tightly and restores normal function of the nervous system in as little as 30 minutes, or up to 1 week. The treatment with nicotine is with gum 2mg 3 times a day for a week, or 7mg nicotine patches, one per day for a week. Some choose to try and use food to get the nicotine and is absorbed at 20-45% through the gut lining. The highest food containing nicotine is eggplant and 20 grams has 2 mg of nicotine, so to get 2 mg, you would have to eat 80 grams three times a day for a week.
Introduction to using nicotine as a nutrient, the addiction myth, science how and why it helps
https://veritaswellnessmember.com/podcast-content/nicotine-and-long-covid-dr-bryan-ardis
Evidence Nicotine helps long Covid:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I9te2Fi4vaZsg8YpRUtoT3GGmPYN-3Sm/view
Last but NOT least, we have to heal the blood brain barrier! Healing the blood brain barrier (BBB) is absolutely necessary with tinnitus. We can use oral nutrients such as phospholipids, potassium, and taurine. The phospholipids such as phos serine, phos choline and GPC are vital for this. The nervous system is made of mostly these fatty molecules. Carnitine is needed to move these fats into the mitochondria for energy, it is anti-inflammatory and directly helps heal the BBB. I like this supplement, Brain Vibrance Supreme by Klaire Labs/SFI Health.