Remember the old tale of Johnny Appleseed? When you were younger you likely heard the story of how Johnny Appleseed traveled around providing fresh apples to communities (you should eat apples because they are good for you and that’s the moral of the story).
That’s only partly true. The real Johnny Appleseed (whose real name was John Chapman) did in fact bring apples to many states across the country at about the end of the 19th century. But apples weren’t as tasty and sweet as they are now. Brewing hard cider, in fact, was the chief use of apples.
That’s right. Johnny Appleseed was bringing booze to every community he visited.
Humans have a complicated relationship with alcohol. It isn’t good for your health to start with (and not just in the long term, many of these health effects can be felt immediately when you spend the early morning hours dizzy, throwing up, or passed out). Nevertheless, humans typically enjoy feeling inebriated.
This habit goes back into the early mists of time. Since we’ve been recording history, people have been indulging in alcohol. But if you have hearing problems, including tinnitus, it’s possible that your alcohol consumption could be producing or exacerbating your symptoms.
So when you’re at the bar, loud music isn’t the only risk to your hearing health. It’s also the cocktails.
Tinnitus can be triggered by alcohol
The fact that alcohol triggers tinnitus is something that hearing specialists will usually confirm. That’s not really that difficult to believe. If you’ve ever partaken of a little too much, you might have encountered something known as “the spins”. That’s when you get really, really dizzy and the room feels like it’s, well, spinning (especially when you close your eyes).
When alcohol disturbs your inner ear, which is the part of your body responsible for balance, tinnitus can manifest.
And what other function does your inner ear play a part in? Obviously, your hearing. Which means that if you’ve experienced the spins, it isn’t a surprise that you may have also experienced a buzzing or ringing in your ears that are characteristic of tinnitus.
Ototoxic compounds, including alcohol, will trigger tinnitus
The word ototoxic might sound scary, but it simply indicates something that can be harmful to your hearing. The whole auditory system from your ears to your brain is involved in this.
There are several ways that this plays out in practice:
- The blood flow in your ear can also be decreased by alcohol. This alone can become a source of damage (most parts of your body don’t especially enjoy being starved of blood).
- There are neurotransmitters in your brain that deal with hearing which can be damaged by alcohol. This means that, while the alcohol is in your system, your brain isn’t functioning effectively (clearly, decision-making centers are affected; but so, too, are the parts of your brain in charge of hearing).
- Alcohol can damage the stereocilia in your ears (these are fragile hairs that let you sense vibrations in the air, vibrations that your brain later converts into sound). These delicate hairs will never heal or grow back once they have been damaged.
Tinnitus and hearing loss caused by drinking are often temporary
You may begin to notice some symptoms when you’re out on the town having some drinks with friends.
The good news is that these symptoms (when they are related to alcohol intake) are normally short-term. Your tinnitus will typically clear up along with most of your hearing loss when your body chemistry goes back to normal.
Of course, the longer alcohol is in your system, the longer it will take your ears to go back to normal. And if this type of damage is repeated consistently, it could become irreversible. So if you drink too much too frequently, permanent damage could possibly take place.
Some other things are occurring too
It isn’t only the alcohol, however. There are a couple of other elements that make the bar scene a little inhospitable for your ears.
- Noise: The first is that bars are usually, well, loud. Some of their appeal comes from…uh.. just this. But when you’re 40 or more it can be a little bit much. There’s loud music, loud people, and lots of laughing. Your hearing can be damaged over time by this.
- Alcohol causes other issues: Even when you put the hearing loss element aside, drinking is rather bad for your health. Alcohol abuse can result in health issues such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. And all of these issues can ultimately be life threatening, as well as contribute to more severe tinnitus symptoms.
The point is, there are serious hazards to your health and your hearing in these late night bar visits.
So should you quit drinking?
Naturally, sitting in a quiet room and drinking by yourself is not at all what we’re advocating. It’s the alcohol, not the socializing, that’s the root of the issue. So if you’re having difficulty moderating your drinking, you could be creating significant issues for yourself, and for your hearing. Your doctor can help you move towards living a healthier life with the right treatment.
If you’ve noticed a loud ringing in your ears after heavy drinking, make an appointment with us for a consultation.
