A quick point before we begin, I am not a doctor and do not claim to be. Any special dietary requirements you have should be discussed with your dietitian or medical professional. The foods I’m 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 found what works and what doesn’t work to help with tinnitus. My website was created to help those who are suffering with a series of self-help guides.

We are all told to watch our diets these days, so pay attention to the foods and drinks that will affect your tinnitus. Some of these you will be familiar with, others you may not. The idea of ​​this guide is exactly what it is: a guide. Just because I say, for example, that salt is a food to be avoided, doesn’t mean it’s avoided altogether. That would be nearly impossible given today’s foods. I am a firm believer in the ‘Everything in moderation’ statement.

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

Salt

So, based on my story above, salt should not be consumed in large amounts. Too much salt can constrict blood vessels and cause high blood pressure, which in turn reduces blood flow to the ears. An increase in blood pressure has been linked to tinnitus, so it’s important to avoid salty foods whenever you can.

Sugar

So surprise surprise, if we can’t eat too much salt, I guess we can’t eat his sweet brother. That’s right, unfortunately sugar is another thing 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 drop point that can cause tinnitus to rise. The production of adrenaline in the body has also been linked to tinnitus.

Artificial sweeteners

Big this, artificial sweeteners are very bad for tinnitus. You may think, well, if I can’t have sugar in my coffee, then I’ll just use artificial sweeteners. You really should try not to have any. Artificial sweeteners are bad for your overall health, as well as for 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

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

Alcohol

Alcohol increases the strength of your blood by dilating your blood vessels, which causes more blood flow, especially to the ears. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure, which increases your chances of developing tinnitus.

MSG

This could be the worst of the lot in the long run. Known as monosodium glutamate, it’s a food ingredient that even the Food and Drug Administration only lists as “generally recognized as safe.” MSG is a flavor enhancer used in many foods; Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats just for example. Basically, it is a type of sodium and has the same effect as salt which can affect the inner ear. People who suffer from tinnitus should check for MSG on food packaging if you are concerned about this.

There you have it. A list of some of the foods to avoid if you have tinnitus. I know it’s painful trying to give up things you’re used to, but it will really make a difference. You have to weigh it up, 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 it meant switching to decaf coffee and tea i would.

I’m also much more cautious about what I eat, especially salt and MSG. I’m sure I still have the odd china and the odd beer, but not half. You can do it. “Everything in Moderation”

More information and self-help guides on tinnitus can be found on my website relieftinnitus.net, where I offer a complete step-by-step guide for FREE on the methods I used to allow myself to stop suffering from tinnitus.