The Migraine Freedom Blog by Debbie Waidl

Silent Screams: Exploring the Connection of Tinnitus and Migraines

Do you deal with spooky, irritating, and almost supernatural sounds that aren't coming from the outside world but instead in your head?

Most women describe the sound as an annoying ringing in their ears, while some say they hear roaring, hissing, throbbing, or pulsating.

If you experience this, then you already know I’m talking about tinnitus – a frequent ear issue that often accompanies migraines.

In this blog article, we are diving deep into what tinnitus is and how to prevent it.

Who Experiences Tinnitus

People who are prone to both head pain and tinnitus are:

Young individuals
Females, particularly those with higher estrogen levels
People who notice tinnitus in both ears
Individuals suffering from depression

Tinnitus is not just an adult issue. It is experienced at all ages.

In the United States, a study found that about 2.5 million youths aged 12 to 19 have experienced tinnitus at least once, with 1.6 million of them dealing with chronic tinnitus.

Tinnitus Symptoms

Studies suggest that when tinnitus occurs on one side only, the resulting headache is often located on the same side of the head.

This potential link between the two conditions may be due to nerve inflammation that affects auditory mechanisms, causing simultaneous vascular pain in the ear and head.

The symptoms of tinnitus and migraines are connected to the trigeminal nerve, which extends from your ear to your eyes, nose, and jaw.

If you did not listen to podcast episode 36 on the trigeminal nerve, make sure you check it out for more info.

Both of these conditions are associated with neck pain and issues with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

In podcast episodes 5-Migraines and Neck Pain: Reducing the Chronic Inflammatory Load and 37-Neck Pain: Is It Occipital Neuralgia or Nerve-Related?, you can learn more about the connection between neck pain, TMJ, and migraines.

Migraine and Tinnitus Statistics

Approximately 25% of those who suffer from headaches report concurrent experiences of tinnitus.

Approximately 10-15% of people experience chronic tinnitus for three or more months.

And some individuals notice their tinnitus intensifies consistently and exclusively during migraine episodes.

Studies show that migraines happen more often in people with tinnitus and hearing problems.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, it was found that out of 12,962 people with tinnitus or self-noticed hearing loss, 36.6% with tinnitus and 24.5% with hearing loss also experienced migraines.

So, it's like they're connected, right? Knowing this could be a game-changer because it means tackling one will help with the other.

It's all about finding the right strategies and treatments that can quiet down both the migraines and the ringing.

The Connection Between Migraines and Tinnitus

For some, changes in migraine patterns can lead to changes in hearing and an increase in tinnitus.

Imagine your brain as a busy highway, with all sorts of signals zooming back and forth. This is what's happening in our bodies during a migraine.

Sometimes, this can cause what's called a 'vasospasm.'

This is a sudden, temporary narrowing of the road, causing traffic to jam. When this happens, tinnitus seems louder and more noticeable.

Migraine-related vasospasm can damage the inner ear, which can lead to tinnitus and sudden hearing loss.

Some people believe tinnitus might occur because of abnormal signals in our brain or a reaction in our body where normal touches feel painful.

This happens because of blood flow in the inner ear and the activation of certain nerve centers.

It's like a domino effect, starting with the migraine and ending with ringing ears.

Inflammation, Migraines, and Tinnitus

Migraines are linked to inflammation. When the body is inflamed, tinnitus is likely to become more noticeable.

Addressing the six key areas of inflammation, including stress, sleep, and diet, can help lower inflammation levels.

These changes will potentially reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and also decrease the loudness of tinnitus.

Migraine and Tinnitus Medication

Conventional medical treatments for migraines and tinnitus often focus on symptom management rather than addressing the root causes. This leads to temporary relief that allows these conditions to persist.

Medications commonly prescribed include:

Antiseizure Medications: Drugs like Topiramate and Gabapentin are used to manage both migraines and tinnitus symptoms.
Tricyclic Antidepressants: Medications such as Nortriptyline and Amitriptyline are aimed at treating migraines and chronic pain, and tinnitus.
Triptans: Sumatriptan is prescribed for acute migraine attacks and can, in some cases, offer temporary relief from tinnitus.
Benzodiazepines are also used to try to lessen the severity of tinnitus symptoms.
Botox injections: which have been approved for chronic migraine treatment, are sometimes used off- label to treat tinnitus.

These approaches primarily mitigate symptoms, resulting in the cyclic return of migraines and tinnitus since the underlying issues remain unaddressed.

The only way to truly impact migraines and tinnitus is to get to the root cause of the problem.

How To Get To The Root Cause

Getting to the root cause of your pain is a process that takes time. When women join the Freedom From Migraines Method, they typically see dramatic improvements in about four months.

Here are a few shifts you can make to begin seeing progress:

Avoid noise-based triggers such as loud music and construction noise. This may help prevent symptoms.
Utilize white noise machines or fans.
Manage stress to reduce symptoms through non-medical therapies like Habituation Retraining Therapy (HRT) or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Implement relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, breathwork, and massage to reduce chronic stress.

These are short-term management tools to use as you work on the underlying cause.

These tools are not meant to be used as lifelong bandaids but to be used in conjunction with a customized root cause plan.

Supplement Recommendations

There are a few supplements that are said to help with migraines and tinnitus.

*Please consult with a member of your healthcare team before starting any supplement regimen.

Magnesium has been shown to lessen migraines and protect against tinnitus and hearing loss.
Melatonin may treat underlying sleep issues that trigger headaches or tinnitus.

Dietary Considerations

There are a few common triggers between migraines and tinnitus. When you identify them, you can reduce the severity, duration, and frequency of migraines and ear ringing.

The top three common triggers are lack of quality sleep, chronic stress, and an inadequate diet.

Here are some common dietary triggers:

Ultra-processed food. The overconsumption can lead to dehydration, which can trigger migraines and tinnitus.
Food that contains additives like glutamate or tyramine (present in fermented foods such as wine, beer, and aged cheeses), frequently acts as triggers for migraine headaches.
Electrolyte imbalances. Proper electrolyte symmetry is imperative here, ensuring the foods and liquids you consume help raise your migraine threshold rather than lower it, triggering more symptoms.

If you need support determining the link between your tinnitus and migraines - reach out through DM. Together, we can explore your specific challenges to help you find more quiet and pain-free days!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Waidl is the Owner of In The Balance Health Coaching LLC, and Founder of The Freedom From Migraines Method™ & The Migraine Freedom Protocol™
She supports busy moms living with Migraines.

Debbie will uncover what is holding them back from migraine freedom so they can live their life pain and symptom free, work productively, spend the time they want with family and friends, and stop missing out on the things they enjoy.

A message from Debbie:
"I was once right where you are now. 100% believing there was NO WAY to end migraines and my only option was to learn how to live with them or find that magic pill that maybe would work for a while. If anyone told me back then that I could end my pain once and for all, I would have called BS and popped another pill!

Skeptical times 10 was my middle name for sure because when you try it all and everyone tells you they can help you and they don’t. You stop believing… you lose HOPE!

I now realize I was approaching my migraines all backward.

I was trying to cover up symptoms versus trying to end my pain."

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