Khaberni - Research has revealed that obesity can significantly increase the risk of tinnitus, showing that a significant increase in body weight makes men about 50% more likely to suffer from this condition compared to men of healthy weight.
To reach this conclusion, researchers from Lahore Hospital in Pakistan assessed the relationship between obesity and tinnitus in 5,452 men.
According to "Daily Mail", weight was assessed based on the body mass index which measures the ratio between weight and height. A person is considered healthy if their body mass index ranges from 18.5 to 25, overweight from 25 to 29, and obese from 30 and above, at which point the risk of serious diseases increases.
Inflammation and vascular damage
Scientists have not been able to precisely determine why this is the case. However, they suggested that the reason could be obesity's association with inflammation and vascular damage; which could weaken blood flow and damage auditory function.
They clarified that the findings showed that "obesity alone may contribute to tinnitus" or "it may be associated with other conditions such as inflammation, metabolic syndrome, or mental health problems".
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears, even in the absence of any external sound.
Previous research indicated that once tinnitus persists for more than a month, the likelihood of it becoming permanent ranges between 80 and 90%.
While there is currently no definitive cure for tinnitus, certain lifestyle measures have been proven to help alleviate the condition.
Tinnitus Alleviation Measures
A study conducted in 2024 found that a third of patients who practiced mindfulness for two months reported a decrease in symptoms, while another study showed that those who exercised for more than two and a half hours weekly noticed an improvement.
On the other hand, consuming salt, alcohol, caffeine, and foods rich in natural plant chemicals called salicylates - such as coffee, avocado, and blueberries - may worsen the symptoms.
