Alcohol and Tinnitus: Are They Connected?

As we age, we start to think more about our health and the habits we have formed over the years. One of them might be having a glass of wine at dinner, enjoying a pint at a local brewery, or sipping your favorite bourbon with an old friend.

Alcohol, even in moderation, can affect our health, especially as we get older. Studies continue to show, for example, that women are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer from moderate alcohol use, and even one drink can increase your blood pressure.

But does alcohol affect our hearing health? Or, more specifically, can alcohol cause tinnitus?

In this article, we'll review the latest research on the topic and share ways to easily eliminate alcohol from your routine and opt for healthier alternatives.

Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in your ears that isn't caused by an external source.

Although tinnitus may only last a short time, the phenomenon is disruptive and never not something you should ignore. While tinnitus is not a condition, it can be a symptom of hearing loss, which may increase your risk of developing dementia.

Tinnitus can be triggered by exposure to loud noises, certain medications, ear infections, head or neck injuries, and even stress. 

Alcohol can make you feel dizzy or cause vertigo, commonly known as "the spins," due to its effects on the inner ear.

The inner ear contains fluid-filled canals that help maintain balance and spatial orientation. Alcohol can disrupt the fluid levels in these canals, leading to a feeling of motion even when standing still.

Alcohol can also affect the brain's ability to interpret signals from the inner ear, exacerbating the sensation of dizziness or vertigo. This is why you may feel more dizzy or disoriented after drinking alcohol, especially in large quantities.

A ringing in your ears may also accompany this feeling of dizziness.

Drinking alcohol may not cause everyone to experience tinnitus. Still, there does seem to be a correlation between the two—although some studies show mixed conclusions, including reports of participants claiming that alcohol helped their tinnitus symptoms.

What we do know is that consuming alcohol can have a direct impact on the inner ear, altering the volume and composition of the fluid present within it.

When you drink alcohol, it causes your blood vessels to relax and expand, a process known as vasodilation because it affects the production of a hormone called vasopressin.

Vasopressin helps regulate the constriction of blood vessels, but after ingesting alcohol, whether beer, wine, or spirits, your vasopressin levels start to decrease, leading to vasodilation. This can cause an increase in blood flow to various parts of the body, including the inner ear.

As a result, alcohol may increase the perception of tinnitus by affecting blood pressure and circulation in the inner ear.

Although identifying what's triggering your tinnitus is important, understanding the bigger picture of alcohol's connection to hearing loss may hold some answers.

When we hear a sound, it goes through a process that involves the inner ear and the auditory nerve, which sends electrical signals to the part of the brain responsible for processing sound, known as the auditory cortex. Damage to this area can be detrimental to our hearing health.

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to various health problems, including damage to the auditory cortex. Studies have shown chronic alcohol abuse can cause damage to the neurons in the auditory cortex, leading to hearing loss or difficulties in processing sound.

Alcohol can also cause permanent damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, causing hearing loss.

If you're looking to remove alcohol from your diet, there are several strategies you can try.