What is the Connection Between Tinnitus and Food?

They say you are what you eat, and when it comes to hearing loss, that may be more true than ever!

If you suffer from tinnitus, you know that flare-ups can seem random and inconsistent, appearing and vanishing for such an apparent reason. However, recent studies have uncovered there may be a link between tinnitus and your diet.

So, if you’re experiencing a tinnitus flare-up, it may be worthwhile to take a look at your diet.

By avoiding foods that have been linked to hearing health, you may be able to cut back on the number of tinnitus flare-ups you have. To limit these foods from your diet, it’s important to understand what they are.

Follow along as El Dorado Hearing walks you through foods that have been shown to activate tinnitus.

Foods that Cause Tinnitus Flare-Ups

To help maintain your hearing health and reduce the number of food-triggered tinnitus events, you need to know which foods should be cut out (or limited) from your diet.

Here are a few foods to avoid if you have tinnitus:

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol may seem harmless, but it is something you should limit when dealing with hearing problems. Alcoholic beverages affect your blood pressure, so you’re more likely to experience a tinnitus flare-up the more you drink.

Opt for non-alcoholic mocktails when possible to avoid your alcohol consumption.

Sodium

Your blood pressure levels have a direct correlation to the amount and severity of your tinnitus flare-ups. Foods with high amounts of sodium can cause your blood pressure to increase, which is why they should be avoided.

While it is apparent how much sodium is in some foods, such as french fries with extra salt, others may be more shocking. A lot of processed or frozen foods are jam-packed with sodium, including ice cream!

If you suffer from tinnitus, be mindful of the sodium levels in foods you’re consuming by reading the nutrition labels.

Sugar

We’ve all heard that consuming too much sugar can leave you bouncing off the walls. Consuming too many sweets and sugary foods can disrupt the glucose balance in your body, which can keep you awake at night.

You may find that lying awake in the darkness and silence makes the likelihood of tinnitus flare-up much greater.

Caffeine

It’s common knowledge that drinking caffeine late in the afternoon can negatively impact the amount of sleep you get. Due to the energy boost, it gives you, it becomes increasingly difficult for you to fall asleep or reach a deep sleep throughout the night.

When your sleep cycle is disrupted, and you don’t get quality sleep, you’re more likely to have your tinnitus flare-up. While the caffeine doesn’t directly cause the flare-up, it can lead to poor sleep, which will result in more hearing problems.

While we’ve listed out four ingredients in your diet that can result in tinnitus flare-ups, it’s important to remember that what affects one person may affect another much differently. If you are experiencing tinnitus flare-ups, try cutting these ingredients from your diet as much as possible to see which makes the most positive change on your hearing.

By tracking what you eat and your flare-ups, you may begin to notice patterns and can fully cut out which item is causing your tinnitus symptoms.

El Dorado Hearing is here to help

Take the first step to relief by scheduling a tinnitus evaluation with one of our skilled audiologists at El Dorado Hearing. If you or a family member is struggling with tinnitus, we can help you find a solution — starting with tracking and tweaking your diet.

Our doctors of audiology specialize in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating tinnitus with great success. Contact us to schedule an appointment.