Do you recall the old tale about Johnny Appleseed? In elementary school, you might have been taught that he traveled across the United States, bringing the gift of nourishing apples to every community he paid a visit to (you should eat apples because they’re good for you and that’s the moral of the story).
That’s only somewhat accurate. At the end of the 19th century, Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman was his birth name) did in fact bring apples to many parts of the United States. But apples weren’t as tasty and sweet as modern apples. Making hard cider, in fact, was the chief use of apples.
That’s right. Johnny Appleseed was delivering booze to every neighborhood he visited.
Alcohol and humans can have a complicated relationship. On the one hand, it’s terrible for your health (and not only in the long run, many of these health impacts can be felt right away when you spend the early morning hours dizzy, throwing up, or passed out). On the other hand, humans typically enjoy feeling inebriated.
This habit goes back into the early mists of time. Since humans have been recording history, people have been indulging in alcohol. But if you have hearing issues, including tinnitus, it’s possible that your alcohol use could be producing or exacerbating your symptoms.
So when you’re at the bar, loud music isn’t the only danger to the health of your hearing. It’s also the drinks.
Tinnitus can be caused by alcohol
The fact that alcohol causes tinnitus is something that hearing specialists will generally confirm. That shouldn’t be too big of a stretch to believe. If you’ve ever partaken of a little too much, you may have experienced something called “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).
The spins will manifest because the alcohol is interfering with the part of your body in control of balance: your inner ear.
And what other function does your inner ear take a part in? Obviously, your ability to hear. Which means that if you’ve experienced the spins, it’s not a surprise that you might have also experienced a buzzing or ringing in your ears that are characteristic of tinnitus.
That’s because alcohol is an ototoxic substance
The word ototoxic may sound daunting, but it simply indicates something that can be harmful to your hearing. This includes both the auditory nerves and the inner ear, basically everything that links your whole auditory system, from your ears to your brain.
Here are a few ways this can play out:
- There are neurotransmitters in your brain that handle hearing which can be damaged by alcohol. This means that, while the alcohol is in your system, your brain isn’t working efficiently (both decision making regions, and hearing centers are impacted).
- The stereocilia in your ears can be harmed by alcohol (these delicate hairs in your ears transmit vibrational information to your brain for additional processing). These little hairs will never heal or grow back once they have been compromised.
- The blood flow in your ear can also be reduced by alcohol. The lack of blood flow can itself be an origin of damage.
Drinking-related hearing loss & tinnitus aren’t necessarily permanent
You might start to notice some symptoms when you’re out on the town having some drinks with friends.
These symptoms, fortunately, are usually not permanent when related to alcohol. Your tinnitus will typically clear up along with most of your hearing loss when your body chemistry returns to normal.
Of course, the longer alcohol is in your system, the longer it will take your ears to return to normal. And if this kind of damage is repeated consistently, it may become permanent. So if you drink too much too often, permanent damage could possibly take place.
Some other things are happening too
Clearly, it’s more than simply the booze. There are a couple of other factors that make the bar scene somewhat more inhospitable for your ears.
- Alcohol causes other issues: Even when you put the hearing loss element aside, drinking is pretty bad for you. Alcohol abuse can lead to health issues like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. And more extreme tinnitus symptoms as well as life threatening health issues could be the result.
- Noise: Bars are usually pretty noisy. Some of their charm comes from…uh.. just this. Look, if you’re 20 it’s great; if you’re 40 it’s a little bit too much. There’s loud music, loud people, and lots of laughing. Your hearing can be compromised over time by this.
In other words, the mix of the environment and the alcohol make those late night bar trips a potent (and hazardous) mix for your ears.
Does that mean it’s time to quit drinking?
Obviously, we’re not implying that drinking alone in a quiet room is the solution here. It’s the alcohol, not the socializing, that’s the source of the issue. So if you’re having difficulty moderating your alcohol intake, you could be creating major problems for yourself, and for your hearing. You should talk to your doctor about how you can seek treatment, and start on the road to being healthy again.
If you’ve detected a loud ringing in your ears after heavy drinking, schedule an appointment with us for a consultation.