by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man asked:
How important is sodium in controlling tinnitus? Seems like if I eat out and ingest some larger amounts, my tinnitus goes off the rails.
Sodium is indeed a known trigger of tinnitus—so maybe that is what causes it in your case as you already suspect. “Hidden” sodium could also be the source of your tinnitus. For example, MSG added to food by the chef also makes tinnitus worse. (MSG contains sodium—the “S” in the acronym MSG.)
On the other hand, how do you know it is sodium, and not some other “stuff” in the restaurant food? Some people find that wine, vinegar, cheese, caffeine, or certain spices also affect their tinnitus.
