Caffeine and hearing loss

[darkandrew]

I was travelling home on a long drive at the weekend and took a couple of caffeine tablets during the journey to help stay alert. When I reached home, I noticed that my hearing was odd and also that I'd almost completely lost the hearing in my left ear. 3 days later and my hearing still isn't right so I made an appointment to see my GP and since I have no sign of an ear infection she's blaming a combination of a lifetime of abusing my hearing (loud concerts, playing in bands, etc) and combined with too much caffeine. I've been told that if I cut out the caffeine, there may be a chance that my hearing will return to normal (or maybe not 😦 ). When I got back, I Googled "caffeine and hearing loss", and apparently research has suggested that caffeine can stop the ears from recovering from the effects of short term exposure to moderately loud noise, which is something that I never knew. So, seeing as most people here will be exposed to this sort of noise through bass playing, etc, it might be something that you want to bear in mind before having that post-gig Red Bull.

BTW ... can anybody recommend a particular brand of decaf tea bags? The Tetley ones I've bought are OK but don't have a lot of flavour.

Edited August 24, 2018 by darkandrew

[SICbass]

I wasn‘t aware of that. Thanks for posting.

[Dood]

1 hour ago, darkandrew said:

I was travelling home on a long drive at the weekend and took a couple of caffeine tablets during the journey to help stay alert. When I reached home, I noticed that my hearing was odd and also that I'd almost completely lost the hearing in my left ear. 3 days later and my hearing still isn't right so I made an appointment to see my GP and since I have no sign of an ear infection she's blaming a combination of a lifetime of abusing my hearing (loud concerts, playing in bands, etc) and combined with too much caffeine. I've been told that if I cut out the caffeine, there may be a chance that my hearing will return to normal (or maybe not 😦 ). When I got back, I Googled it, and apparently research has suggested that caffeine can stop the ears from recovering from short term damage caused by exposure to loud noise, which is something that I never knew. So, seeing as most people here will be exposed to loud noises through bass playing, etc, it might be something that you want to bear in mind.

I think the only issue I take with this is that ears don’t actually recover from damage caused by excessive noise. The effects of damage such as tinnitus and loss of balance etc are caused by the brain misinterpreting the signals it is receiving verses what it should do. I suspect caffeine inhibits the brain getting used to these new signals rather than caffeine being an inhibitor to any sort of physical recovery.

Whilst we’re on the subject of damage, a key point that so many active musicians don’t realise is that ringing ears after a gig etc is an indication of actual damage. When the ears stop ringing, that’s not recovery. The damage is still there. Next time post-gig ringing happens it is more damage on top of the last. It’s cumulative. Until one day, after thinking you’ve been lucky all this time, the ringing doesn’t stop. The white noise begins and your brain can even have a hard time dealing with this indefatigable mental noise. Some people struggle with depression caused/exacerbated by the effects and there is even news of a lad who was so traumatised by tinnitus he took his life.

Edited August 22, 2018 by dood

[naxos10]

+1 for dood's comments especially the last paragraph.

Due to concerts and specifically one in my forties I developed ringing in my ears which years later has led to hearing aids and the wearing of moulded in ear protectors when I play so as not to cause any more damage.

I will echo the fact that at times the continual ringing can drive you to despair, I don't know what silence is any longer.

Be warned, get any sign of hearing damage checked out and instigate the required precautions accordingly.

[gary mac]

8 minutes ago, naxos10 said:

I will echo the fact that at times the continual ringing can drive you to despair, I don't know what silence is any longer.

It's the same for me and at times it can be truly miserable

 

Mrs. mac only drinks decaff tea and coffee these days. After trying many different brands, for the last few years she has stuck with Yorkshire Tea's decaff, as it actually does taste like tea.  

[darkandrew]

I came across the articles about caffeine and hearing after I'd been to the GP; I think the GP herself was making a connection between blood pressure (which is in turn affected by caffeine) and how that can affect hearing. Anyway, I've got to go back next week for a follow up appointment and hopefully all will be good by then.

Edited August 23, 2018 by darkandrew

[lurksalot]

1 hour ago, gary mac said:

It's the same for me and at times it can be truly miserable

 

Mrs. mac only drinks decaff tea and coffee these days. After trying many different brands, for the last few years she has stuck with Yorkshire Tea's decaff, as it actually does taste like tea.  

Decaf tea bags is mrs lurks forte , so I can concur with the Yorkshire tea decaff .

Also , after poor stock planning we had to take an emergency purchase of co-op own brand decaf tea , that passed the mrs lurks taste test as well 

[EliasMooseblaster]

So when I wake up with my ears still ringing, after trying to get my screaming toddler back to sleep in the small hours, and having achieved all of three hours' sleep myself, I should actually try and power through without coffee if I want my ears to recover?

Thanks, life. Way to kick me while I'm down...

[Brook_fan]

M&S decaf Earl Grey- thoroughly recommended 🙂

[Balcro]

Thanks for the info OP.

I wouldn't touch a Red Bull if you paid me. Never thought that much caffeine was any good for you. Caffeine has it's place in medicine for speeding up the intake of drugs, i.e +varieties of paracetamol, but not for recreational "boosting".

The one thing that will cause hearing loss on its own is Quinine, if taken in very large doses. A couple of bottles of Tonic Water will have no effect on the average person. Quinine used to be given to soldiers in the Boer & First World Wars as a preventative for Malaria but the doses were massive. Later, of course, it was found to cause the tiny hairs deep inside the ears to bend away from & not make contact with ( I think) the tympanic membrane. Damage was permanent. Maybe this is another ingredient to avoid if you already have a hearing problem.

 

PS. another vote here for Yorkshire Tea Decaf!

Edited August 23, 2018 by Balcro
formatting

[Dood]

2 hours ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

So when I wake up with my ears still ringing, after trying to get my screaming toddler back to sleep in the small hours, and having achieved all of three hours' sleep myself, I should actually try and power through without coffee if I want my ears to recover?

Thanks, life. Way to kick me while I'm down...

It starts there and then slowly, but surely, your whole music career goes the same way as the caffeine...

[rogerstodge]

I’m sure I read that alcohol has the same affect as said caffeine.

[charic]

19 minutes ago, rogerstodge said:

I’m sure I read that alcohol has the same affect as said caffeine.

So you're saying I shouldn't have a jagerbomb every hour?  How am I supposed to TOLERATE people?!

[rogerstodge]

3 minutes ago, charic said:

So you're saying I shouldn't have a jagerbomb every hour?  How am I supposed to TOLERATE people?!

You’ll just have to put up with the tinnitus/ hearing loss like I do..

[charic]

2 minutes ago, rogerstodge said:

You’ll just have to put up with the tinnitus/ hearing loss like I do..

So you're saying I might not be able to hear the people?...

... Tempting!...

(In all seriousness, I take the health of my ears VERY seriously)

[mikel]

I have tinnitus and take precautions when playing, but to stop drinking a daily coffee or a couple of beers at the weekend would be too miserable a proposition. The conflicting and ever changing advice/warnings we get from various bodies and associations suggests to me that either they have no idea what they are talking about, or we should stop doing anything, except breathing. But with air pollution that is also a bad idea. 

Life has to be lived and a certain amount of wear and tear is to be expected as we get older. As long as I feel I am not abusing my mind and body I feel I will always be happier doing what I enjoy. I would never take caffeine tablets or a "Red Bull" type drink, having that much caffeine and sugar in one hit can only be detrimental.

[EliasMooseblaster]

2 minutes ago, mikel said:

I have tinnitus and take precautions when playing, but to stop drinking a daily coffee or a couple of beers at the weekend would be too miserable a proposition. The conflicting and ever changing advice/warnings we get from various bodies and associations suggests to me that either they have no idea what they are talking about, or we should stop doing anything, except breathing. But with air pollution that is also a bad idea. 

Life has to be lived and a certain amount of wear and tear is to be expected as we get older. As long as I feel I am not abusing my mind and body I feel I will always be happier doing what I enjoy. I would never take caffeine tablets or a "Red Bull" type drink, having that much caffeine and sugar in one hit can only be detrimental.

One concise, if slightly dismissive, maxim I've come to like is that "there are no prizes for being the healthiest person in the graveyard."

[markdavid]

On 23/08/2018 at 12:04, Balcro said:

Thanks for the info OP.

I wouldn't touch a Red Bull if you paid me. Never thought that much caffeine was any good for you. Caffeine has it's place in medicine for speeding up the intake of drugs, i.e +varieties of paracetamol, but not for recreational "boosting".

The one thing that will cause hearing loss on its own is Quinine, if taken in very large doses. A couple of bottles of Tonic Water will have no effect on the average person. Quinine used to be given to soldiers in the Boer & First World Wars as a preventative for Malaria but the doses were massive. Later, of course, it was found to cause the tiny hairs deep inside the ears to bend away from & not make contact with ( I think) the tympanic membrane. Damage was permanent. Maybe this is another ingredient to avoid if you already have a hearing problem.

 

PS. another vote here for Yorkshire Tea Decaf!

I used to love Tonic water then I was prescribed Quinine tablets for a medical condition (not malaria) and the side effects alarmed me enough that I stopped taking them and just dealt with the medical condition and were enough that I stopped drinking Tonic water completely

[ped]

18 hours ago, charic said:

So you're saying I might not be able to hear the people?...

... Tempting!...

(In all seriousness, I take the health of my ears VERY seriously)

You've got ear defenders on in your avatar so you can't hear yourself. Very wise 😜