Do you recall the old tale about Johnny Appleseed? In elementary school, you may have been taught that he migrated across the United States, bringing the gift of nourishing apples to every community he visited (you should eat apples because they’re good for you and that’s the moral of the story).
Actually, that isn’t the whole reality. Around the end of the 19th century, Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman was his birth name) did in fact present apples to numerous parts of the United States. But apples weren’t as yummy and sweet as modern apples. In fact, they were generally only utilized for one thing: producing hard cider.
That’s right. Johnny Appleseed was bringing booze to every neighborhood he visited.
Humans have a tricky relationship with alcohol. It isn’t good for your health to begin with (and not just in the long run, many of these health impacts can be felt right away when you spend the early morning hours dizzy, vomiting, or passed out). Conversely, humans generally like feeling intoxicated.
This is not a new thing. Since we’ve been recording history, people have been enjoying alcohol. But it could be possible that your hearing issues are being worsened by drinking alcohol.
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 triggers tinnitus is something that hearing specialists will generally validate. That’s not really that hard to believe. You’ve most likely experienced “the spins” if you’ve ever had too much to drink. That’s where you get really, really dizzy and the room feels like it’s, well, spinning (especially when you close your eyes).
The spins will happen because the alcohol is interfering with the part of your body responsible for balance: your inner ear.
And what other function does your inner ear take a part in? Hearing, of course! So if alcohol can trigger the spins, it’s not difficult to believe that it can also generate ringing or buzzing in your ears.
That’s because alcohol is an ototoxic substance
The word ototoxic might sound scary, but it just indicates something that can be harmful to your hearing. This includes both the auditory nerves and the inner ear, essentially everything that links your whole auditory system, from your ears to your brain.
There are a few ways that this occurs in practice:
- There are neurotransmitters in your brain that manage hearing which can be harmed by alcohol. This means that, while the alcohol is in your system, your brain isn’t functioning effectively (both decision making centers, and hearing centers are impacted).
- Alcohol can reduce blood flow to your inner ear. This by itself can become a source of damage (most parts of your body don’t particularly like being deprived of blood).
- Alcohol can degrade the stereocilia in your ears (these are tiny 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 usually temporary
You might begin to detect some symptoms when you’re out on the town having a few drinks with friends.
The good news is that these symptoms (when they are caused by alcohol intake) are usually short-term. Your tinnitus will typically clear up along with most of your hearing loss when your body chemistry goes back to normal.
But the longer you have alcohol in your system, the longer your symptoms will last. And it could become irreversible if this kind of damage keeps occurring continually. So if you drink too much too frequently, permanent damage could possibly take place.
Here are some other things that are taking place
Of course, it’s more than just the liquor. There are a couple of other factors that make the bar scene somewhat more inhospitable for your ears.
- Alcohol leads to other problems: Even when you put the hearing loss element aside, drinking is rather bad for you. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure can be the result of alcohol abuse. And all of these problems can ultimately be life threatening, as well as worsen more severe tinnitus symptoms.
- Noise: The first is that bars are usually, well, loud. That’s part of their… uh… appeal? Look, if you’re 20 it’s great; if you’re 40 it’s a little bit much. There’s loud music, loud people, and lots of laughing. Your hearing can be compromised over time by this.
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 alone is not at all what we’re recommending. The underlying issue is the alcohol itself. So you may be doing substantial harm to your health and hearing if you’re having a hard time moderating your alcohol intake. Your doctor can help you move towards living a healthier life with the correct treatment.
If you’ve detected a loud ringing in your ears after heavy drinking, make an appointment with us for a consultation.
