Caffeine Could Thwart Tinnitus Development
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iStock/Thinkstock(BOSTON) — That annoying ringing in one’s ears known as tinnitus affects an estimated 50 million people in the U.S.
While doctors are still finding ways to treat tinnitus, which is actually a symptom of a more serious disorder, drinking coffee may actually reduce the chances of developing it.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers examined 65,000 women, aged 30 to 44, over an 18-year period. It was discovered that those who consumed larger amounts of caffeine were 15 percent less likely to experience a regular ringing or whining in their ears than women who drank lesser amounts of coffee.
Researchers are unsure why caffeine cuts the risk of tinnitus, although it has been previously shown to affect the physiology of the inner ear.
Just the same, people with tinnitus are not advised to start drinking excessive amounts of coffee until more research is conducted.
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