Q My tinnitus seems to get worse when I drink coffee. Do caffeine or salty foods affect tinnitus?
A Yes. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and constricts the blood vessels of the ear, which can worsen tinnitus. Salty foods disrupt the fluid balance of the inner ear (cochlea) and are especially bad for tinnitus accompanying Meniere's disease.
Detailed Answer
Caffeine can over-excite the auditory nerve and affect inner-ear blood flow, so if you are sensitive to tinnitus, reducing coffee, energy drinks, and strong green tea can help. Salty foods draw in body fluid and raise inner-ear lymphatic pressure, so a low-salt diet is especially recommended for tinnitus accompanying Meniere's disease. Alcohol and smoking are also known to fluctuate ear blood flow and aggravate tinnitus.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
From the Korean medicine perspective, caffeine and alcohol are heat-inducing foods that further stimulate already-rising heat (sangyeol) and phlegm-retention. Dongjedang advises reducing caffeine, alcohol, and irritating foods during tinnitus treatment, and lowering the digestive burden with warm water and gentle foods. Many people experience that even with the same sound, the bothersomeness eases once the internal heat and phlegm decrease.
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