Do you experience ringing noise in your ear or in your head? The sound is like electric buzzing, hissing, humming, tinging or whistling.
It may be a symptom of hearing loss and the causes vary, from drugs to food and frequent exposure to loud noise.
This condition is called tinnitus which can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is often referred to as ringing in the ears but can manifest as hissing, beeping, chirping or roaring in one or both ears.
If you always experience this, there are foods to avoid minimizing the symptoms.
* Sodium. Sodium affects fluid balance in the body, including fluid in the inner ear. Those withhigh blood pressure or suffering from Menerie’s disease are highly affected by sodium. High blood pressure can sometimes be high enough to produce tinnitus. Most processed foods, salty snacks and deli meats contain much more sodium.
* Caffeine. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and can cause high blood pressureand a myriad of other health effects when consumed at amounts over 500 mg per day as recommended by MayoClinic.com. Chemical stimulants in foods excite the hair cells in ears, causing them to go into a state of excitotoxicity, which can eventually destroy nerve cells in the inner ear, causing hearing loss and tinnitus.
* Alcohol. Alcohol increases the force of your blood by dilating your blood vessels, which causes greater blood flow, especially in the ears. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure, which increases your chances for developing tinnitus. If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or reducing alcohol consumption to moderate. Moderate drinking for men is considered two drinks of 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine or 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits per day. This amount is cut in half for women.
* MSG. Monosodium glutamate being a food ingredient and generally recognized as safe can also cause adverse reactions. MSG is a flavor enhancer used in Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. MSG is a type of sodium and can contribute to water retention, which affects the inner ear. MSG also breaks down in the body as glutamate which acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter. If you are concerned about this affecting your tinnitus, read food labels carefully for the words monosodium glutamate or hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
