Is There a Link Between Tinnitus and High Blood Pressure?

Tinnitus and high blood pressure, or hypertension, are both fairly common conditions or symptoms. High blood pressure could contribute to tinnitus or exacerbate the severity or intensity of the sounds you can hear.

Part of the connection is that increased blood pressure impacts the flow of blood to your blood vessels and arteries, including those inside the delicate parts of your inner ear.

These changes can affect existing tinnitus symptoms, contribute to tinnitus developing, or mean your tinnitus worsens, even if the underlying cause is entirely different but is exaggerated by damage to your hearing.

A study published by the National Library of Medicine examined the symptoms of men and women between the ages of 45 and 64 and found a ‘significant association’ between changes to hearing, such as hearing loss, and hypertension – including the ability to hear sounds at a higher frequency.

Key Takeaways:

• Tinnitus is a symptom that causes ringing or buzzing in the ears. It can be prompted or exacerbated by high blood pressure or hypertension.
• Variations in your blood pressure change the amount of blood moving through the blood vessels within your delicate inner ear, which is why clinical experts see higher rates of hearing loss in people with hypertension.
• While tinnitus doesn’t necessarily mean you have high blood pressure, it is important to have any concerns about your health or hearing checked by a qualified professional to identify the best solution.

High Blood Pressure and Tinnitus: How They Can Be Related

It is worth reiterating that tinnitus symptoms don’t always indicate high blood pressure and a person with hypertension doesn’t always develop tinnitus. However, either condition can be stressful or harmful, and if you have any concerns about your blood pressure, you should address this with your GP.

Likewise, tinnitus can often be attributed to fairly minor causes such as a build-up of earwax, a reaction to a medication, or an ear infection—most of which can be remedied quickly once an audiologist has examined your ears and pinpointed the main factor causing your symptoms.

Tinnitus is a common side effect of high blood pressure that occurs because the excess pressure affects the network of vessels within your auditory system. If you experience sounds that sound like a pulse or beat—in line with your heart rate—tinnitus is more likely to be connected to high blood pressure. This may be a symptom of pulsatile tinnitus, which should be investigated at the earliest opportunity.

High blood pressure means the force of the blood within your vessels is too high, and tinnitus is one of many potential problems or symptoms that can worsen if left untreated.

What do our audiologists say?

The connection between tinnitus and high blood pressure lies in the impact of elevated blood pressure on the delicate blood vessels in the inner ear. Increased pressure can exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, making it crucial to address both conditions simultaneously. By managing blood pressure effectively, we can often reduce the severity of tinnitus, improving overall quality of life for our patients.” – Lindsay Fletcher 

Tinnitus as a Reaction to Medications for High Blood Pressure

A complexity is that some people start to develop tinnitus or find that their symptoms become more noticeable or louder after seeking treatment for high blood pressure. There are a number of prescribed medications, alongside over-the-counter medicines like NSAIDs, which some people react poorly to.

Blood thinners such as aspirin and diuretics are often used to help manage high blood pressure, and both are among the lists of medications that can prompt tinnitus.

In most cases, this won’t happen because, provided you stick to the recommended dose, the medication wouldn’t be at a high enough concentration to cause tinnitus on its own.

That said, a reaction to a medication to control hypertension could possibly make your tinnitus worse. If you have spotted a change in tinnitus that coincides with a new medication or change in the medicine or dose you are taking, you should let your GP know, as a simple swap may solve the problem.

Issues in Blood Vessels and Viscosity That Can Trigger Tinnitus

Many people with high blood pressure have thicker blood—or higher blood viscosity. This is why practitioners usually prescribe diuretics to reduce the problem and ensure blood can flow safely and at a healthy rate through vessels and arteries.

Thicker blood makes it harder for the heart to pump blood throughout the body, and the small vessels in the ears can become damaged if they aren’t getting sufficient oxygen.

Therefore, hearing loss linked to high blood pressure and blood viscosity is often preceded by tinnitus.

A similar scenario applies to pulsatile tinnitus, which we mentioned earlier. Pulsatile tinnitus is less common but is characterised as a sensation where you can feel your pulse in your ears or hear a sound that seems to be your heart pumping.

In most people, this symptom is down to damage to the blood vessels and isn’t anything sinister but requires an assessment to ensure any problems caused by hypertension are being managed.

Otherwise, damage to your blood vessels could be a side effect of high blood pressure. The pressure can disrupt the natural function of those delicate blood vessels, which is likely to become worse if the high blood pressure causing the problem isn’t diagnosed and treated.

If you hear continuous pulsing in your ears that goes on for more than a few minutes, it is worth making an appointment with both your GP and an audiologist to identify the causes and rule out any potential issues.

Schedule a Full Hearing Assessment to Analyse the Cause of Your Tinnitus

Step one is to take action to uncover any contributing factors or causes that are either responsible for your tinnitus or making the symptoms worse. We’d also suggest booking an appointment with your GP or other practitioner if you have reason to suspect you have high blood pressure.

Leaving either issue untreated can inevitably make your symptoms worse. The stress and sleep disturbances common with tinnitus can further increase your blood pressure, and unresolved high blood pressure impacting your tinnitus is unlikely to go away without treatment.

Are you based in the South East of England? Whether you need a hearing test in Croydon, Eltham, Medway, Maidstone or Thanet, Please contact your nearest Regain Hearing clinic anytime to book a convenient day and time, and our talented audiologists will conduct a complete appraisal to get to the bottom of your tinnitus and suggest the right treatment strategy for you.