By Barry Keate
Barry Keate, has lived with tinnitus over 40 years and has published 150+ research articles on numerous aspects of tinnitus. He is an expert on the condition and a well-known advocate for those with tinnitus.
(wayhomestudio/Freepik)
With age comes change-physical, mental, and emotional. In women, menopause is a tell-tale sign that an individual is entering a new stage of life. And these hormonal changes can have widespread effects on many body systems, causing symptoms that can be disruptive to one’s sleep, comfort, and even hearing. If you find yourself in the midst of menopause and suddenly dealing with tinnitus or worsening tinnitus symptoms, this article’s for you. Let’s talk about the connection between menopause and tinnitus.
What is Menopause, Exactly?
Menopause is when a woman’s period stops for good, typically around her mid-40s to 50s. Leading up to menopause, hormone levels in her body drop drastically, particularly the hormone estrogen. This drastic change in hormones can cause a variety of symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings, and poor sleep.
Menopause has officially hit when a woman has gone 12 months without having her cycle. The time period before this landmark, when women can experience the symptoms of menopause, but perhaps a period is still happening, or she has not yet gone a year without a cycle, is called perimenopause.
Aging and Hearing
It is a well-known fact that as people age, their hearing often deteriorates. There are a variety of factors that work together to cause hearing loss. The natural degradation of hair-like cells in the cochlea can cause hearing issues. Changes in neural pathways can also change how sounds are perceived, leading to hearing loss. A lifetime of exposure to loud noises can add up to a result of hearing loss or tinnitus.
Hormones and Hearing
Studies1 have shown a strong link between the hormone estrogen and a woman’s ability to hear. Low estrogen levels are associated with low hearing perception and other hearing impairments, such as tinnitus. This is largely in part because of changes to blood flow in and around the ear, as well as bone issues.
Because estrogen receptors have been found in the auditory system, particularly the cochlea, researchers hypothesize2 that estrogen helps protect hearing in women. This could explain why many women develop tinnitus as they go through menopause, as estrogen levels drop and the hormone is no longer bioavailable to protect auditory systems. This hormone drop has also been linked3 to the worsening or development of Meniere’s Disease, an inner ear disorder that causes tinnitus, vertigo, and balance issues.
Hormone changes during menopause tend to lead to a lot of dryness in the body. Hormone changes can cause dry skin and vaginal dryness. As a result of this general skin dehydration, the ears can begin to overproduce earwax leading to earwax impaction. An overabundance of wax buildup in the ear is a common cause of tinnitus, as pressure can be pushed into the middle and inner ear, causing damage.
It can be challenging to decide whether or not the development of tinnitus and other hearing issues during menopause are caused by aging or by menopause itself. However, with so much research available, it is quite clear that there is a relationship between menopause and the development of tinnitus.
Treatment and Management
Tinnitus currently has no cure, and menopause is a fact of life, so what are women supposed to do? Well, there are a few potential options.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapies, or HRTs, have been often used to treat the more negative symptoms of menopause. Taking estrogen supplements has improved symptoms like poor sleep and hot flashes for many women. Research4 has also shown that HRT may help prevent tinnitus, decreasing a woman’s risk of developing it.
It is important to speak to a medical professional before trying to treat your hearing issues with hormones. While it has worked for many women, there are potential side effects of hormone replacement therapies that you should talk to your doctor about to ensure that the treatment is right for you.
Changing Diets
Supplementing your diet with essential vitamins and minerals may help improve the symptoms of both menopause and tinnitus. It is crucial for peri-menopausal and menopausal women to get adequate calcium in their diet to combat the weakened bone density associated with this change. This may also improve tinnitus, as bones in the middle and inner ear are essential to hearing health.
What supplements are good for tinnitus? Quite a few vitamins and minerals may help relieve symptoms in some people. Ginkgo biloba for ear ringing5 may help improve symptoms in some people, and you can find the herb in certain natural supplements for tinnitus. Vitamin B126 and zinc7 are also associated with alleviated tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus can be frustrating, but understanding the root cause of the condition can better inform individuals about how to treat and alleviate symptoms. For many women, the biological consequences of menopause can explain developments in hearing health and tinnitus. With a better understanding of the relationship between menopause and tinnitus, many women may be able to find better strategies for relief, such as hormone therapies or tinnitus relief supplements.
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