Hypertension
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood as it circulates through the blood vessels in our body. When this is high we use the term hypertension (HT).
The blood pressure readings are given in two numbers: the upper number is called systolic blood pressure (BP), and the lower blood pressure is called dystolic pressure (e.g. 140/90 mm Hg).
One of the characteristics of hypertension is that it does not present clear symptoms, but it is a treatable pathology and it is necessary to follow the doctor’s recommendations to avoid triggering possible cerebrovascular accidents (such as a myocardial infarction or cerebral thrombosis).
According to the official data, 16 million people in the UK and a whopping 75 million Americans have hypertension.
But what does high blood pressure have to do with tinnitus?
Can there be a connection between hypertension and tinnitus? Yes, and it is significant.
(Note: go to this article to read about “What tinnitus is, its causes and treatments“)
When a person has high blood pressure, there is an increased pressure on the walls of the blood vessels that carry blood to the inner ears.
In some cases this may cause ringing or buzzing in the ears. In these circumstances the patient’s tinnitus is described as ‘pulsatile‘, since it corresponds to the heartbeat. Therefore high blood pressure is the main cause of pulsatile tinnitus.
And what increases blood pressure?
There are several factors that increase blood pressure, such as:
- Excess of salt in the diet
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- High blood pressure
And as one of the causes of tinnitus is high blood pressure, it would be advisable for those affected to focus their efforts on trying to keep stress and high blood pressure at bay.
How can we keep high blood pressure at bay?
The best way to control blood pressure is to avoid those factors that cause it appear in the first place:
- Check your blood pressure from time to time to make sure it is within the appropriate levels
- Reduce the consumption of salt, alcohol and drinks that contain caffeine
- Consume magnesium, this is a good anti-stress nutrient and is found in green vegetables such as spinach, onion, garlic, nuts and oats
Magnesium protects the nerves responsible for hearing in the inner ear and helps stop the reception of glutamate (a neurotransmitter) by the cells of the ear.
(Note: go to this article to read about “The benefits of magnesium on tinnitus and other vitamins“)
Glutamate is released in response to sound waves and hair cells that are found in the inner ear. When these cells are damaged, the increased amounts of glutamate is released, causing the hair of the cells to send continuous messages to the brain. As they are continuous and there is no external sound, then buzzing or whistling can be heard.
- Finally, include foods in your diet with high vitamin content, such as oily fish, milk, oranges, lemons, broccoli, parsley, soy, corn, nuts, olive oil, etc.
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