Q. I was experiencing a loud static type sound in my right ear that came on and off every 15 seconds. A doctor prescribed Tegretol for this problem. I took the drug for about a month, and the condition went away.
The tinnitus came back years later, and again I used Tegretol to get rid of the annoying noise.
A. We are delighted you got such relief from carbamazepine (Tegretol) for the static in your ear (tinnitus). Although this anticonvulsant has been used to treat tinnitus, the scientific evidence that anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, gabapentin and lamotrigine) are effective for tinnitus is not convincing (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Jul. 6, 2011).
If you would like to learn more about the pros and cons of Tegretol (carbamazepine), here is a link to the monograph for this drug in our drug library.
Other possible treatments that may be helpful include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. Others who suffer from this debilitating condition may want to learn more about these options.
