Inner Ear Regeneration: Laser and Stem Cell Therapy for Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, and Vertigo

By Dr. John Lieurance, DC, ND · Chiropractic Neurologist (board eligible, ABCN) · Advanced Rejuvenation, Sarasota, Florida · Reviewed 11 July 2026

SunaVae is a multimodal inner ear regeneration protocol combining photobiomodulation laser therapy, XCell adipose-derived stem cell therapy, and endonasal cranial therapy, developed by Dr. John Lieurance for tinnitus, sensorineural hearing loss, and vertigo.

Let me start with what this treatment is not, because the field is full of overpromising and you deserve better than that.

Can stem cell therapy cure hearing loss?

No. And any clinic telling you otherwise is selling you something.

There is currently no regulatory-approved stem cell therapy that cures sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus. Stem cell approaches to the inner ear remain investigational. Much of the strongest supporting evidence comes from animal models, not large human trials. This is true and I will not pretend otherwise.

Here is how I describe my own patients’ outcomes in my book: the results are more realistic than dramatic. The meaningful gains tend to land in the conversational frequency range — the part of the audiogram where speech actually lives — rather than as a wholesale restoration across all frequencies.

For a patient who has been slowly losing the ability to follow a conversation at dinner, a real improvement in that specific range matters enormously. But it is not the same as getting your twenty-year-old ears back, and I would rather you hear that from me now than discover it after paying for treatment.

What is SunaVae?

SunaVae is the name I gave to the combination of three inner ear therapies I spent thirty years assembling. It is not a product I bought. It is a synthesis, and each piece came from a specific teacher.

It began with endonasal balloons thirty years ago. Fifteen years ago I encountered LumoMed, a laser treatment out of Baden-Baden, Germany, and studied directly with Dr. Amon Kaiser, its developer, in order to bring the technology to the United States. Dr. Kaiser was the first person to show me that the inner ear could be regenerated with laser therapy.

In 2021 my clinic became certified in ShimSpot, the inner ear stem cell injection method developed by Dr. Mimbo Shim, who paved the path for doing stem cell therapy on the inner ear. From the beginning, my intention was to combine Dr. Shim’s methods with LumoMed.

SunaVae is that combination. It uses the body’s own biological stimulators — growth factors and stem cells — enhanced with photobiomodulation through laser therapy.

SunaVae comprises:

• Photobiomodulation — a series of specialized laser therapy sessions directed at the inner ear, as with LumoMed
• Stem cell therapy — using XCell stem cells, directed to the inner ear and central nervous system
• Endonasal cranial therapy — addressing inner ear circulation, nasal passage and sinus health, and proper nasal breathing (see Functional Cranial Release)

Alongside the in-clinic protocol, I developed the Sensory Rejuvenation Protocol, a research-based at-home programme addressing whole-body health in support of the inner ear.

How does laser therapy help the inner ear?

Laser therapy works on the inner ear through photobiomodulation (PBM) — light absorbed by mitochondria in the inner ear tissue.

The proposed mechanism is specific. Photons within the laser light drive mitochondrial activity, which enhances cAMP and activates the MAPK/ERK signalling pathways. This supports the stria vascularis — the structure responsible for cochlear fluid homeostasis — and the sensory hair cells themselves. Supporting both together is, in my view, the correct therapeutic goal when trying to regenerate the inner ear.

PBM also carries antioxidant properties: it reduces the production of reactive oxygen species and supports the cell’s own antioxidant defences. Oxidative stress causes cellular damage and contributes to hearing loss, so this matters. PBM has additionally shown promise in neuroprotection, which is crucial for preserving the function of auditory neurons.

I use methylene blue as a photodynamic substance to amplify the effect of the light — it optimises cellular energy and autophagy, and also aids stem cell activation.

Why does the inner ear respond to energy-based treatment at all?

In the most basic sense, inner ear health comes down to energy.

The inner ear is highly dependent on a strong and steady supply of cellular energy — more so than most tissue. That dependence is precisely what makes it vulnerable. Hearing loss conditions arise from a convergence of three things: inner ear damage, poor energy due to suboptimal mitochondrial function, and our loud modern environment.

This is the thesis that organises everything else. Traditional treatment options for inner ear conditions focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cellular damage — hearing aids amplify sound into a damaged cochlea; they do not repair it. If the root problem is energetic and cellular, then the intervention should be too.

That is why the protocol targets mitochondria from several directions at once: light, methylene blue, regenerative cells, and improved circulation to the region.

Why XCell stem cells?

XCell is our adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) preparation, and the choice is deliberate.

Stem cells can be autologous (from your own body) or allogeneic (from an outside source). Most clinics opt for allogeneic perinatal tissue — cord blood, umbilical tissue, Wharton’s jelly, amniotic fluid — because it is less invasive to obtain.

After more than 25 years in regenerative medicine, my assessment is that ADSC are superior for this application: they live longer, have high stem-cell viability, differentiate roughly four times faster than perinatal or embryonic stem cells, and are better at producing endothelial cells.

Using XCell, we direct the cells not only into the inner ear but along the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, the reticular formation, the pons and locus coeruleus, and the stellate ganglion — because tinnitus is not only an ear problem. It is a nervous system problem with an ear origin.

The senescence problem — and what I do about it

Stem cells are fragile. There is a real risk of senescence, where cells enter a permanent state of dormancy and simply stop working. This is a major focus of research in regenerative medicine, and it is one of the reasons stem cell results vary so widely between clinics.

To minimise it — not just with SunaVae but across all our orthopaedic and neurological stem cell cases — I use fucoidan and CoQ10, both studied for their ability to prevent stem cell senescence, particularly in the first six to eight weeks after any stem cell treatment. That window is when the outcome is decided.

What conditions does this address?

• Sensorineural hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Vertigo and dizziness
• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• Ear fullness

Frequently asked questions

Is SunaVae FDA-approved?

No. Regenerative inner ear therapies are not FDA-approved for hearing loss or tinnitus. This is investigational treatment, offered on a cash-pay basis, and you should understand that clearly before beginning.

Who is a candidate?

Assessment is individual and begins with a full evaluation, including audiometric testing to establish a baseline. Not everyone is a candidate, and I would rather tell you that at the start than take your money.

How long before results appear?

Regenerative processes are slow. The first six to eight weeks after stem cell treatment are the critical window, and support during that period materially affects the outcome.

Where can I read more?

I wrote a book on this. It is called SunaVae, and it covers the mechanisms, the protocol, and the patient audiograms in far more detail than a web page permits.

About the author

Dr. John Lieurance, DC, ND is a chiropractic neurologist (board eligible, American Board of Chiropractic Neurology) in Sarasota, Florida, with over 30 years of clinical experience and 25+ years in regenerative medicine. He holds a Doctor of Naturopathy (ND) degree; Florida does not license naturopathic physicians and he does not hold a Florida naturopathic licence. He is the founder of Advanced Rejuvenation, the originator of Functional Cranial Release, and the author of SunaVae and It’s All In Your Head!. He studied the LumoMed laser method with its developer, Dr. Amon Kaiser, and became certified in the ShimSpot stem cell method in 2021.

Medical disclaimer. This page is educational and does not constitute medical advice. The therapies described are investigational and are not FDA-approved for the treatment of hearing loss, tinnitus, or vertigo. Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed. Consult a qualified clinician, including a licensed audiologist or ENT, regarding any hearing concern. Reviewed by Dr. John Lieurance, DC, ND.