Just Discovered Coffee Massively Helps My Tinnitus

So I have no hearing loss, ENT says MRI is clear also. Basically I have an ongoing static or gaseous sound in my right ear, when it gets loud (which isn't very loud by people's standard on here I have realised) my other ear rings like an old phone dial tone. It may be low but it totally destroys my quality of life as a musician.

Anyways, I've been off coffee for over a year and milk for 6 months. The past 3 days I got a cafe latte from UK Costa coffee, and before I even finish the cup, I notably felt my tinnitus fade away, not only that but that state of mind of noticing it and checking if it's there, also faded completely. My first cup was a big hit, it actually reminded me of taking speed when I was a young foolish teenager. The caffeine was a great uplift after being down for 3 months over my new T. I also noticed that my ears don't click (I can manually click eustachians) when I swallow, after having the coffee. After a few hours it returns with the tinnitus.

So for 3 days I got the same cafe latte, and got the same response every day. Day 4 I didn't take any and I felt shitty again with notable focus on T.

Then on day 4 night time, I felt shitty in bed and fell asleep all night with my headphones in using WHITE NOISE GENERATOR on google. When I awoke my ears were noticeably quieter, much more than when I just use the app for 20mins. I think sleeping with that noise in someway reprogrammed my brain a bit, and maybe this coffee effect helped too

Today I got the cafe latte, same uplifting results. Then tonight I made my own by heating milk in a pan and adding 2 spoonfuls of douwe egbert instant coffee - not as tastey as the real deal, but it worked AGAIN.

So tonight of day 5 of coffees I can feel them wearing off and a very very mild static return to my right ear, slightly responsive to tv sound. I am going to sleep all night with the white noise generator on again, and get a coffee tomorrow. I'll update and let you know how it goes.

I thought I'd share this as maybe some of you haven't tried coffee for tinnitus. When you google it, it says it makes tinnitus worse, but some reports also say it makes it better ... Fingers crossed !!

 

If it's regular coffee.... then the caffeine can possibly increase jitters, stress, anxiety and those are not friendly towards tinnitus at all....

I'm glad it worked for you, but it's not something i'd drink at all...

 

I can't live without my coffee

 

Huh. Doesn't affect mine at all.

 

I have written this before here but I awaken with loud tinnitus every single morning. After so many years I am less rattled by it. I just learned to get up and start my day.

My first cup of coffee always lessened the loudness of my tinnitus. I was told by a scientist friend that it was most likely due to the constriction of the blood vessels in the pathway.

However, it made it worse when I, of course, thought ten cups would help even more.....not a good idea.

Still to this day my morning cup of coffee helps. Someone will have to pry my cup of morning coffee out of my bony little fingers!!!!

So do this in moderation.

 

You'd be surprised what you can live without. I love coffee/caffeine but I can only use it occasionally now. Have you tried stopping for awhile to see if it affects your tinnitus?

 

I love coffee but regularly stick to decaf to be on the safe side. That said, I had a cup of regular coffee yesterday and felt jittery for hours. I also had a bad T day yesterday but then my tinnitus varies from day to day.

 

My morning coffee calms my T down and afternoon coffee makes it spike. -- Go figure. Guess I will stop the afternoon coffee..

 

that leads me to believe that the damage to our ears has caused disruptions to the reuptake of neurotransmitters and by the end of the day our synapses are just worn out and the extra stimulation exacerbates it.

 

Makes sense John.

Because of work related stress in the last year, my T has been very bothersome. -- Eating bad during this time doesn't help matters.

I think that when our brain is tired and/or stressed, T is more noticeable which for me leads to trying to eat my why out of the stress which only provides about 20 minutes of temporary enjoyment. -- Salty foods is the real enemy for me but that afternoon coffee has to go as well.

I've been working out more lately which helps a lot. -- I haven't masked in a couple years but may take that up again as well before I get depressed again.

The latest thing I'm hear about is using a 20w 850nm LED light which is directed into the ear for a few minutes 3 times/week. -- I'm still trying to find a low cost way to try this out since I'm tired of spending $$ on things that don't work..

 

A few years ago I read an article by what I considered a reputable medical university, maybe Johns Hopkins? I forgot. It indicated that coffee was some sort of newly discovered medical miracle.

Coffee has been shown to reverse liver damage from alcohol. Neurologists recommend coffee for the onset of migraine headaches. Coffee certainly helps me deal with the headaches caused by T. There was an article I read a few years ago that recommended some sort of frozen concoction from Starbucks for the onset of a migraine. It was the combination of cold and caffeine that helped.

There were numerous other benefits from coffee. Look this up for yourself. It is some interesting reading.

 

I will research this. Thanks Tex. -- I do love my coffee..

 

Caffeine makes zero difference to my tinnitus. I can drink coffee or anything I like but a spike will just hit me at any time.

 

i never liked coffee. mainly bcz i like to chill. BUT OH MY GOD esspresso (cafe bustello) completely stops my pulse T that shows up 6mos out of the year off and on. (its a bastard) I thought it was allergy related. Looks like I will have to learn about blood vessels.

 

Coffee in the morning seems to noticeably lower my tinnitus. Not sure why this is. Everything I have read says to avoid caffeine and alcohol. However, those seem to be the only two substances that seem to help change the volume for the better.

 

I don't have coffee often, but when I do have coffee it tends to spike my tinnitus, to make it worse.

I usually have tea and it helps my tinnitus a bit, sometimes lowers it a little.

 

I find that I don’t hear my tinnitus as much when I drink alcohol. That’s not to suggest I’m drinking every night but I just noticed it doesn’t seem to worsen it. I have very little caffeine. I drink decaf tea. My only addiction is a tiny tiny bottle of Coke Zero. I’m not really sure it does anything to my tinnitus volume.

 

Hi @Barry098 -- I just read that coffee lowers uric acid levels in the body. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if uric acid levels affect tinnitus intensity. -- I just recently ran across the following blurb:

"Researchers around the globe over the past decade have revealed that uric acid, previously thought of only in terms of gout, is actually playing a central role in metabolic disorders. From weight gain to elevated blood sugar, it’s uric acid that is orchestrating this metabolic mayhem. And this is a simple blood test that most Americans have likely already had. It’s part of your annual blood work!

Uric acid is derived from only three sources: Alcohol, purines (the breakdown product of the DNA and RNA in our foods) and, most importantly, fructose. We’ve known for decades that fructose is the gateway for metabolic problems, but we never understood how. Now, we’ve learned about the uric acid connection.

My new book, Drop Acid, deeply explores this exciting new science and reveals simple dietary and lifestyle changes that can dramatically lower uric acid and favorably impact metabolism. I’ll show you how you can easily measure your uric acid levels at home so you can achieve not just a “normal” uric acid level but a level that is optimal for your health.

Inside Drop Acid, you'll find:

• Simple dietary edits focused on reducing fructose and foods high in “purines” that can raise uric acid
• Natural hacks that lower levels such as consuming tart cherries, vitamin C, quercetin, and coffee
• Identifying common pharmaceuticals that threaten to increase uric acid
• Specific lifestyle interventions, like restorative sleep and exercise, that can further bring uric acid under control"

​

 

Wow... looks like a good read! Thanks for sharing. I’ve had a bunch of weird issues over the last several years that I feel might all be somehow related to gut health. The first of these was the skin on my fingertips cracking and peeling off to the point where there was hardly any skin left. As a guitarist, and music teacher, this issue was pretty frustrating. I went to see a dermatologist and he diagnosed it as an “Id” complex, basically saying that it was some autoimmune issue of unknown origin. I feel like this and all of my other probs (tinnitus included) are somehow connected to physiological changes as a result of stress, anxiety and diet.

Thanks again... I’ll give it a look..

 

@Barry098 -- I've dealt with gut issues for years, and even suspect I could be diagnosed with gastropersis. I've experimented with many different things in trying to improve things for myself, and most recently discovered organic juice powders. I blend up various combinations of wheatgrass juice powder, celery juice powder, beet root juice powder, etc. into smoothies.

I noticed right away (within a day or so) that I was clearing my throat way less, and other improvements as well.

 

Clearing your throat less? Wow... believe it or not, that was one of my issues that ultimately required an ENT visit (and a very uncomfortable camera down the nose examination... yikes!). It didn’t turn up anything though. That was probably 2 years ago and I still always feel like I have something lodged in my throat. I can’t go 5 minutes without feeling the need to clear it. At the time I attributed it to working with insulation during a home remodel project but I never considered it could be gut related.

Would you mind sharing your recipe for the smoothies? I definitely want to try this.

 

Globus pharyngis. Only thing that ever helped to eliminate the sensation for me was lose dose Amitriptyline. 10 mg or less. Can’t take it anymore because it spikes my tinnitus horribly.

Definitely caused by stomach issues for me, GERD.

 

@Lane that is so interesting!! If that is true, then you'd think tart cherry extract would help with tinnitus, since tart cherry lowers uric acid. I've been meaning to buy some to see if it helps with sleep, but have been putting it off since I don't have gout and haven't thought much about uric acid.

 

Heh. And you all thought he was drinking the coffee.... (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/posts/611671/

 

Hi @Barry098 -- It's different every time! I do have some base ingredients, but vary it up, mostly depending on what kind of seasonal fruits I have on hand. Also, I have a Vitamix, and make very large batches, up to 12 quarts or more at a time. So keep that in mind as you review my ingredients. Also, I put most of this in the freezer, and usually eat about a quart a day, sort of like ice cream. Or perhaps like a yogert that's not totally frozen, which is how I like to eat it.

• 1 cup organic csunfower seeds -- (Very nutritionally dense; especially in linolic acid, which can lower BP).
• 1 cup organic pumpkin seeds -- Has high levels of zinc, and is great for prostate and the immune system. -- @Ed209.
• 1 cup organic sesame seeds -- Has high levels of calcium, and is great for bone health.
• 1 cup organic chia seeds -- Has highest concentrations of plant based Omega 3 fatty acids, and is great for the brain. Also, it can be stored for up to 2-3 years (I buy it in bulk online).

[blended up in 2-3 quarts of organic carrot juice from Walmart (or water). I also mix 2 quarts of organic vanilla yogert in with the water or carrot juice. -- I will add exra vanilla if I want a stronger vanilla flavor.]

I then usually add about:

• 12 bananas
• 3-6 apples
• 4# bag of organic wild blueberries (from Costco), or 4# bag of organic sweet cherries (from Costco); or half and half of each. I may mix it up with various other fruits, such as:
  
  Organic strawberries, and/or organic papaya, mango, etc. (whatever's available at Costco). Sometimes I'll just use one large bag of strawberries and have a strawberry dominant batch.

List of organic juice powders (about 4 heaping tablespoons each)

• Beet Juice Powder and/or Beet Root Juice Powder
• Wheatgrass Juice Powders
• Celery Juice Powder and/or Spinach Juice Powder, and/or a combination type powder

I use the following as natural sweeteners, again around 4 heaping tbsp. each

• Tart Cherry Juice Powder -- Lowers uric acid levels, which I think could affect tinnitus.
• Pineapple Juice Powder -- Lots of naturally occurring digestive enzymes.
• Stevia Powder -- I buy it by the pound online; NOW brand.

I use various fruits that are in season, such as cantalope, watermelon, etc.

Incidental things I add:

• 3-4 tbsp. of diatamaceous earth, which is a natural anti-parasitic for animals (and humans), and has the highest concentrations of silica of any food. Silica is a critical mineral for bone health, as the body can't use calcium to make bone without silica (an often missing ingredient in people's diet who have osteoporosis).
• Also, 3-4 tbsp. of nutritional yeast.

I also add 4 tbsps of the following amino acid powders:

• L-Lysine -- (Strongly antiviral)
• L-Tyrosine -- (Supports the neurotransmitter dopamine synthesis)
• L-Taurine -- (Another critical element for bone health)
• L-Glutamine -- (I've read incredible gut health recovery stories from people who've taken large amounts of this)
• BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) -- Alert: This stuff tastes pretty awful, so be careful with how much you use. All the fruits usually pretty easily overpower the taste however. The other amino acids are pretty neutral.
• Inositol (not an amino acid, but a B Vitamin that is very good for relaxing the brain; has been used very therapeutic for people suffering from OCD.

So, that's my basic recipe. You of course can mix it up in all kinds of ways, to get whatever kind of smoothie you'd like. Last time I added about 2 lbs. of almonds, which gave it a nice flavor and texture.

I've become sort of a master at making these, and don't have a problem making 3-4 gallon batches. I would advise starting out with much smaller batches however. Maybe just make a quart or so at a time in the beginning, and then when you hit on what you like, start making bigger batches from there. It only takes me about an hour+ to make enough for about two weeks.

I consider myself to be on somewhat of a "bone health" program, and believe it's important for a variety of reasons. I think it's especially important for people on this forum, as the 3 tiny bones in the inner ear can have dramatic impacts on some of the ear and auditory problems we deal with. From my research, the top three things you can take for bone health are silica (from diatomaceous earth in this recipe), taurine (from the powder), and calcium from the sesame seeds).

Another element that is great for bone and gut health is bone broth. I've heard of people going a few days on an exclusive bone broth diet, and cleared up long-standing gut issues). I've got my own super easy recipe for that if you'd be interested.

Hope this wasn't too much! lol
...................................................................

Edit to Add: -- (if the above wasn't enough) -- Note: I'm not a vegetarian myself, but do try to adhere to a primarily organic, plant-based diet (and a moderate amount of organic meats). It's a primary reason I have relatively few concerns about developing severe COVID-19.

Plant-based eaters are less likely to get severe COVID: study says

Researchers have revealed a link between diet and COVID-19 which showed plant-based eaters were 73% less likely to come down with the virus compared to those who include animals in their diet. Meanwhile, pescatarians, whose primary protein source is fish, were at a 59% lower risk.

The new study, published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, based these findings on a self-reported questionnaire submitted by a total of 2,884 individuals, all health-care workers, from six European countries, 568 of which had had confirmed cases of the coronavirus during the previous year.​

 

Was just about to say the throat thing could be GERD or silent GERD. I have constant throat mucus.

 

@Lane, this is amazing! Thanks for all of the great ideas. Can’t wait to try it out!