There are certain foods that are shockingly high in sodium, too, including ice cream (which you don't typically think of as tasting especially salty). You'll want to watch out for sodium levels in anything you eat to prevent a surprise tinnitus episode.
Dairy and caffeinated coffee intake was associated with reduced odds of persistent tinnitus (McCormack et al. 2014). “Bothersome tinnitus” was associated with higher intake of wholemeal/wholegrain bread. Reduced odds of “transient tinnitus” were associated with dairy, caffeinated coffee, and bread intake.
Beverages that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate and energy drinks also exacerbate tinnitus, according to American Tinnitus Association. Caffeine may exacerbate tinnitus in some people by increasing blood pressure and stimulating nerve cell activity.
Reports of less frequent transient tinnitus increased with dairy avoidance (OR = 1.18) and decreased with caffeinated coffee (OR = 0.98 per cup/day) and brown bread (OR = 0.94).
While it has no clear cure or cause, it affects millions of people in the world on some level and can be challenging to cope with. Thankfully, it's entirely possible to live a normal life even with tinnitus.
Fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the bedroom also produce white noise and may help make tinnitus less noticeable at night. Masking devices. Worn in the ear and similar to hearing aids, these devices produce a continuous, low-level white noise that suppresses tinnitus symptoms.
Retraining therapy: You can wear a device that masks ringing with tonal music, gradually training you to ignore the sound. This is usually linked with counseling. Relaxation techniques: Stress can make tinnitus worse. Find ways that help you manage anxiety like deep breathing, exercise, and biofeedback.
Zinc – Sometimes ringing in the ears can be caused by low levels of zinc, which is responsible for healing and cell growth. So make sure you keep your levels up by eating plenty of nuts, dark chocolate, yogurt, chicken, beef, spinach, lamb, and shellfish.
Saturated fats, like cheese, butter and red meat, are another group of foods that increase cholesterol levels and lead to atherosclerosis, a contributing factor for tinnitus.
Traffic, loud music, construction – all of these can worsen tinnitus. Be sure to wear earplugs or another type of ear protection in order to prevent noise from making your tinnitus worse. Many medications are ototoxic, meaning they cause temporary (or, in some cases, permanent) damage to your hearing.
Anything you eat, drink, or do, that upsets the fluid level in the body can upset the fluid level in the ear and cause tinnitus. Keeping a moderate intake of caffeine, salt, and alcohol. Reducing your use of tobacco. And staying hydrated by drinking water will help reduce the impact of tinnitus.
Spoiler: Chocolate doesn't help relieve tinnitus.
Certain fruits are found to be particularly helpful when it comes to relieving tinnitus, especially foods that are rich in potassium. These include bananas, pears, and tropical fruits such as pineapples, papayas, and mangoes. These foods help lower the blood pressure and encourage proper blood circulation to the ears.
Foods that can Alleviate Tinnitus
Just as there is food that can increase your Tinnitus, there are others that can help bring it down. These foods include: CoQ10 – an antioxidant found in eggs, fatty fish, organ meat, nuts and poultry that increases circulation to the ears.
A low level of vitamin B12 may also contribute to tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The good news is by adding lean animal protein such as poultry, fish, eggs, or dairy you can ensure you have enough blood to keep hearing clear. Vegetarian sources of B12 include adding nutritional yeast to food, tempeh, and nori seaweed.
Tinnitus and loud noise
Loud noise will make tinnitus worse. To avoid further exposure to loud noise: wear ear protection such as earmuffs or earplugs for activities such as mowing the lawn, using a chainsaw or playing or listening to live music.
Foods high in Vitamin B12 and antioxidants like berries, leafy greens, and nuts are especially helpful in reducing tinnitus symptoms.
Did you know that refined sugars can worsen tinnitus in some people? Excessive intake of foods with high sugar content can alter your brain function, making it harder to regulate the activity in your nervous system. This triggers your tinnitus until your brain gets back to a stable rhythm.
For some people, tinnitus may be temporary. A person may experience tinnitus as a symptom of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL occurs due to long-term exposure to a noisy environment. A person's NIHL symptoms can go away after leaving the noisy environment.
People who shove fingers, pencils or earplugs deep into their ear canal can get an impacted plug of wax that presses on the eardrum and may contribute to tinnitus. Olive oil ear-drops soften the wax and gentle suction (better than syringing) can be arranged by your GP.
Bananas: The magnesium-rich fruit is all that your ears needed as a regular diet.
Firstly, having lower background noise levels to mask tinnitus can actually make it seem louder. Secondly, silence can activate a stress response in the body which increases internal auditory sensitivity. Your hearing can become more acute as you ready yourself for a possible threat.