Foods to avoid with tinnitus

A quick point before we begin, I am not a doctor and I do not pretend to be. Any special dietary requirements you have should be discussed with your dietitian or medical professional. The foods I am talking about here are foods that I find it beneficial to avoid. My name is John and I suffered from tinnitus for ten years. During this time I have discovered what works and what does not to help tinnitus. My website was set up to help the suffering with a series of self-help guides.

We are all being asked to watch our diets these days, so we need to pay attention to the foods and drinks that will affect your tinnitus. With some of them you will be familiar with others with which you may not. The idea of ​​this guide is exactly what it is: a guide. Just because it says, for example, that salt is a food to avoid doesn’t mean avoiding it entirely. That would be nearly impossible given today’s food. I am a firm believer in the statement “Everything in moderation”.

I remember one day eating a bag of chips from the ‘chippy’; those of you who are from the UK will know what I mean. Anyway, the guy behind the counter didn’t ask me if I wanted salt, he just loaded them with salt. Anyway, I was running late so I took them. About halfway through eating them, my tinnitus on my right side went through the roof! It became so unbearable that I couldn’t hear anything from that side, to make matters worse, this caused a huge attack of vertigo and I was exhausted for about two hours in my bed. (Fortunately, he was close to home at the time.)

Salt

So based on my previous story, salt should not be consumed in large quantities. Too much salt can constrict blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure, which in turn reduces blood flow to the ears. An increase in blood pressure has been linked to tinnitus, so it is important to avoid salty foods whenever possible.

Sugar

So surprise surprise, if we can’t eat too much salt, I guess we can’t eat her sweet brother. Right, unfortunately sugar is something else that tinnitus sufferers should try to avoid. When you consume sugar, the blood sugar level in your body rises rapidly and then falls. It is at the falling point that it can cause tinnitus to increase. The production of adrenaline in the body has also been linked to tinnitus.

Artificial sweeteners

One of the big ones is that artificial sweeteners are very bad for tinnitus. You may think, well, if I can’t have sugar in my coffee, I’ll just use artificial sweeteners. You really should try not to have any. Artificial sweeteners are detrimental to general health as well as tinnitus, which is why they should be avoided at all costs. Aspartame, also known as “NutraSweet”, can damage the nervous system and cause tinnitus problems over time.

Caffeine

It doesn’t look good, does it? First sugar and now caffeine! This is really one for the ‘Everything in moderation’ category. Now I have completely switched to decaf tea, but for a long time I still drank caffeinated tea, I just cut it down. After a while, decaf stuff doesn’t taste too bad. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can destroy nerve cells in the inner ear over long periods of time, causing tinnitus and hearing loss.

Alcohol

Alcohol increases the strength of the blood by dilating the blood vessels, causing increased blood flow, especially in the ears. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure, increasing your chances of developing tinnitus.

MSG

This could be the worst of all in the long run. Known as monosodium glutamate, it is a food ingredient that even the Food and Drug Administration only declares as “generally recognized as safe.” Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer that is used in many foods; Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats just for example. Basically, it is a type of sodium and it has the same effect as salt that can affect the inner ear. Tinnitus sufferers should check for MSG in food packaging if this is a concern.

So there you have it. A list of some of the foods to avoid if you have tinnitus. I know it’s a pain trying to give up things that you’re used to, but it will really make a difference. You have to weigh it, how bad is your tinnitus that you want to change it? I know when mine was at its worst I would have done anything to make things better, so if that meant switching to decaf coffee and tea, I would.

I’m also much more wary of what I eat, especially with salt and MSG. Sure I still have some Chinese and a beer or two, but not half. You can do it. “Everything in moderation”

You can find more information and self-help guides on tinnitus on my website. relieffortinnitus.net where I am giving away a complete step-by-step guide on the methods I used to allow myself not to suffer from Tinnitus anymore.