British Tinnitus Association

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Tinnitus and Alcohol

Over the last 7 days or so, I’ve really noticed my tinnitus to be louder (I’m 45 and have had it for as long as I can remember but at a fairly low level). I have put it down to a bit more anxiety due to the current situation.

Anyway, yesterday I was feeling pleased as it seemed to get quieter again. I had three glasses of wine last night and lo and behold, I have woken up this morning with a much louder high-pitched buzz (like electricity pylon) in my head. So, I think I have found my trigger (or one of them). If that’s the case, I won’t drink again. It’s horrible to wake up to. Anyone else had this? How long does it last? I read it was because of the affect of alcohol on blood vessels or slight dehydration. I’m gutted.

Julia

10 Replies

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Hi Julia, yes unfortunately if you’re sensitive and already have tinnitus then it’s going to be a trigger for defo.

I gave up alcohol a long time ago and if I had been drinking at the time of the last crisis it would have been a nightmare.

We are programmed by advertising to believe that wine is relaxing and ok but for some people it’s just not! I am still coming to terms with how invasive and crippling my tinnitus is sometimes and if alcohol were involved as well, it would be another thing to have to deal with.

I found it difficult at first to give it up as I had been using it for a crutch for so long for emotional reasons. Still miss the temporary relaxation but it’s NOT worth it.

Hope things settle down for you soon. All the best 🙏🏼

Thanks so much for your reply. Yes, I agree, it’s not worth it. I could give it up if it meant not having this noise the morning after.

I’m hoping this noise, which has appeared overnight after some wine - not hungover- is only temporary (maybe affected blood flow in head or dehydration). I was so pleased that yesterday it had become much less noticeable! I also noticed my heart rate was slightly up last night on my Fitbit. Typical. Hope it doesn’t last....I’ve never noticed it loud after alcohol before. I can cope for a few hours or a day so I’m hoping it quietens down again....

Well, I’ve found that alcohol - for me - isn’t any kind of trigger. Fortunately. I do drink a lot of water throughout my waking hours and always have done. Alcohol, as we know, is dehydrating.

Three glasses of wine - if they are 175cc then that’s quite a lot of wine at one go, though. The maximum I drink per evening is 300ml, which is less then three glasses using the old method of 120cc per glass.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the measure probably would have been that amount. I have drunk about three pints of water this morning but my head is still ‘zinging’. I’m disappointed as yesterday, my T was so much lower.

My T has never been affected by alcohol before. Well, it’s either that or hormones due to perimenopause (or both!). I really wish there was something I could do to calm it down.

Let’s hope it calms down. You might think about trying one glass and of wine and see(listen to!) what happens

All the best

Yes, that’s a good idea. I could quite easily give up for good if it is a trigger. Rather keep away from it than hear this!

Thanks again.

Hi Julia ,

Try not to worry . It will return back to your original Tinnitus. The day after can be hell .

I’ve also found that my T is now agitated by alcohol . Unfortunately I tried drinking the T away last year and started drinking daily .....

This has now stopped , thank Goodness .

As Happy Rosie advises , just try one glass and see ?

All the best Zoë

No this only to well love my glass of wine and like you it's one of my main triggers mine would last from 1 to 3 days its horrible sometimes I feel this horrible t takes the enjoy of life away from ya hopefully settles soon

i wonder if its the grape or the grain, you see i stopped drinking for a few months and didn't notice any difference, Im not really a wine drinker like a rum and a beer myself, the truth be told for me ive tried both sides and it didn't make any difference, if it did i would stop tomorrow

Hi Julia, this is a question many of us frequently ask. I'm a long time surviver of extreme or even catastrophic T. I've tried everything. I've seen the leading "experts" and neurologists in SF for this. There is no good answer. There is no right answer. Every minute is self analyzed until you can ignore it. Stress triggers T. , or noise triggers T. If you drink to where it stresses your body, it's going to inhibit your brains ability to manage the T. Alcohol dose damage cells in your body. The question is, where is the risk versus reward with alcohol. Your body will tell you.

I'm a wine enthusiast. Having access to a vast variety of fine wines, I've learned that the quality of the wine is more a factor than the quantity. Factor in hydration, your body weight and overall physical health as well. Some of the most successful T survivors have used wine as their vice. It dose lead to an escalation of consumption. That's why a little head ache is good to tell you if your habit is hurting you, or your wine has too many sulphates, herbicides or pesticides in it.

That said, I still worry that numbing the frontal lobe of my brain on a daily bases with 2.5 (half bottle) of red wine, may eventually over tax my liver, or have a worse affect on my cognitive function than the T dose.

The wine gives me anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of solid sleep in the early evening. The rest of the night is a struggle. What quality of sleep can we get without the alcohol? My audiologist suggested off the record, that patients dealt better with alcohol versus medication when treating or numbing the affects of T.

I don't claim to have the answers, I'm just sharing my experience for comparison.

We might also look in to what affect 5G radio waves have on hyperacusis. I've exchanged notes with the worlds leading scientist on this topic, and it's as concerning as alcohol, but much more addictive is social media, which is compelling the WHO and telecom companies(one in the same) to bombard us with microwaves. You know how your phone would get hot and eventually give you an ear ache? 5G towers are going up daily. They are only about 20%completed with installations. If you or we notice our symptoms getting worse over the course of the next year, we may look at alcohol "and" microwaves as potential contributors.