Does Caffeine Make Tinnitus Worse? What the Research Says
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Many people with tinnitus are told to give up coffee. The research does not back a blanket ban. Large reviews find no consistent link between caffeine and tinnitus, and stopping abruptly can make things feel worse for a few days. This page sums up what the studies and the main UK health bodies say, then gives you a simple three-week test to check whether caffeine affects your own tinnitus.
Does caffeine make tinnitus worse?
For most people, no consistent link has been found. A 2021 systematic review called the evidence inconclusive, a 2021 placebo-controlled study found no effect from 300 mg of caffeine, and a 2025 BMJ Open meta-analysis linked higher caffeine intake with a lower risk of tinnitus. Some people still notice an effect, mostly through sleep or anxiety. Individual results vary significantly.
Should I stop drinking coffee if I have tinnitus?
Not by default. Tinnitus UK advises a moderate, constant intake, and stopping abruptly causes withdrawal symptoms that can make tinnitus feel louder. If you suspect caffeine, reduce by 10–25% per week, keep your last cup well before bed, and compare weekly averages.
Important: this page is for education only and is not medical advice. If your tinnitus is sudden, in one ear only, pulses with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss, dizziness or pain, see a doctor before changing anything.
What the research says about caffeine and tinnitus
The evidence does not support a universal rule that caffeine worsens tinnitus. These are the five studies most often cited, from the broadest to the most specific.
No proof that caffeine causes tinnitus
Finding: four eligible studies with mixed results. One found no association, two population studies found less tinnitus among higher caffeine consumers. The authors called the overall picture inconclusive.
What it means: there is no basis for a blanket “coffee is bad” rule.
Higher caffeine intake linked to lower tinnitus risk
Finding: higher intake of caffeine, fruit, dairy and fibre was associated with a lower incidence of tinnitus, about 10% lower for caffeine. The authors rate the evidence quality as low and describe the caffeine link as contentious.
What it means: this is observational and does not prove caffeine protects the ear. It does run against the idea that coffee causes tinnitus.
300 mg of caffeine made no measurable difference
Finding: 80 adults with chronic tinnitus took either 300 mg of caffeine, roughly three cups of coffee, or a placebo capsule. There was no significant change in tinnitus discomfort or in measured tinnitus characteristics.
What it means: caffeine is not an automatic trigger.
Stopping caffeine brought no benefit
Finding: 66 people with tinnitus went 30 days without caffeine under double-blind conditions. Abstinence did not reduce tinnitus, and acute withdrawal was itself distressing.
What it means: quitting overnight can make you feel worse, not better.
Some people improved after cutting down
Finding: among participants drinking 150–300 ml of coffee a day, a subset showed better tinnitus questionnaire scores after reducing.
What it means: a gradual personal test is reasonable if you suspect sensitivity.
What the NHS and Tinnitus UK say about caffeine
Neither body tells people with tinnitus to cut out caffeine. Their advice focuses on stability and sleep.
- Tinnitus UK (formerly the British Tinnitus Association) says the common advice to avoid tea and coffee has no scientific basis, and that large reviews have not linked caffeine to the causes of tinnitus. It suggests keeping intake moderate and constant, and warns that cutting caffeine out can cause headaches and nausea that may worsen tinnitus.
- The NHS tinnitus page does not list caffeine among the causes. Its coping advice centres on relaxation, avoiding stress and loud noise, and not sitting in total silence. NHS 111 Wales mentions cutting down on caffeine as one way to improve sleep.
- In practice: the official advice is about sleep and steady habits, not about caffeine harming the ear.
Can caffeine cause ringing in the ears?
Caffeine has not been shown to cause tinnitus. For some people it can make existing tinnitus feel more noticeable, mostly through indirect effects.
- Sleep: afternoon caffeine delays sleep and makes it lighter. Tinnitus is usually most noticeable in a quiet bedroom at night.
- Arousal: if caffeine raises anxiety or tension, attention shifts toward the tinnitus and it feels more prominent.
- Withdrawal: stopping abruptly causes headache, irritability and fatigue, which make tinnitus feel worse for a few days.
The right response depends on the cause. If sleep is the issue, timing matters more than quantity. If anxiety is the issue, addressing it directly often helps more than cutting coffee.
Can caffeine withdrawal make tinnitus worse?
Yes, for a few days. Withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, irritability and low mood usually start 12–24 hours after the last dose, peak between 20 and 51 hours, and can last 2–9 days. During that window, overall distress rises and tinnitus tends to feel more intrusive.
This is the distress-perception loop, not the tinnitus itself getting worse. The answer is not to return to high caffeine, but to taper: reduce by about 10–25% per week rather than stopping overnight.
Is decaf better for tinnitus?
Decaf is a practical middle step, not a treatment. There is no evidence that decaf worsens tinnitus. A common approach is to switch afternoon cups to decaf and keep morning cups unchanged. You keep the habit, remove the late caffeine that affects sleep, and get a cleaner variable to test.
Does caffeine affect pulsatile tinnitus?
Caffeine can briefly raise heart rate and blood pressure, and some people notice a heartbeat-type whooshing more clearly afterwards. Pulsatile tinnitus is assessed differently from ringing because it can have a physical cause. If your tinnitus pulses with your heartbeat, see a doctor before running any caffeine experiment.
When should you stop caffeine for better sleep?
Keep caffeine at least six hours before bed. In a 2013 sleep study, 400 mg of caffeine taken six hours before bedtime still reduced total sleep by more than an hour. Since tinnitus often feels worst in a quiet bedroom, deeper sleep can make it less distressing. For many people, timing matters more than total quantity.
A three-week test for your own tinnitus
One bad day proves nothing. Use a short routine that changes caffeine and nothing else.
Week 1: stable baseline
Change nothing. Note each day:
- Tinnitus intrusiveness (0–10)
- Sleep quality (0–10)
- Stress level (0–10)
- Time of your last caffeinated drink
Week 2: gradual taper
Reduce total caffeine by about 25% and move your last cup to the morning.
- Swap one drink to half-caf or decaf
- Slow down if withdrawal symptoms appear
- Keep every other habit identical
Week 3: hold the new level
Stay at the lower amount for seven days, then compare weekly averages.
- Better sleep and lower intrusiveness: reducing may help you
- Week 2 worse, Week 3 back to normal: likely withdrawal
- No change: caffeine is probably neutral for you
Quick decision guide
- Morning coffee, stable sleep: keep it and look at other factors
- Afternoon coffee, poor sleep, jitters: change timing before quantity
- Quit overnight and felt worse: reintroduce slowly, then retest
Sound therapy while you test
Reducing silence, especially at night, makes tinnitus feel less prominent whatever you do with caffeine. Background sound lowers the contrast between the ringing and the room. Keep the volume comfortable, just below the level that fully covers the tinnitus.
White noise · free
Steady sound across all frequencies. Useful for desk work, focus and noisy rooms.
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Pink noise · Premium
Softer in the high range. Some people find it easier than white noise for winding down.
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Brown noise · Premium
Deeper and lower. A common choice at night, especially while caffeine changes affect sleep.
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Ocean waves · Premium
Natural variation, for people who find steady static too mechanical at bedtime.
The Tinnitus Relief App keeps playing in the background, during calls, in other apps and with the screen locked.
Frequently asked questions
Should I quit coffee if I have tinnitus?
Not automatically. Reviews do not support a blanket ban, and Tinnitus UK suggests a moderate, constant intake instead. If you suspect caffeine affects you, run a gradual three-week test and compare weekly averages. Individual results vary significantly.
Why did my tinnitus feel worse when I stopped coffee?
Stopping caffeine abruptly causes withdrawal: headache, fatigue, irritability and low mood. That rise in distress makes tinnitus feel more intrusive, even if the sound itself has not changed. Tapering by 10–25% per week is much less likely to trigger it.
Is decaf safe for tinnitus?
There is no evidence that decaf worsens tinnitus. Swapping afternoon cups to decaf keeps the habit without the late-day caffeine that disrupts sleep.
What time should I stop drinking coffee for tinnitus and sleep?
Aim for at least six hours before bed. In a 2013 sleep study, 400 mg of caffeine taken six hours before bedtime still cut total sleep by more than an hour. Better sleep often makes tinnitus feel less intrusive at night.
Does caffeine affect pulsatile tinnitus?
Caffeine can briefly raise heart rate and blood pressure, and some people notice a heartbeat-type whooshing more clearly afterwards. Pulsatile tinnitus can have a physical cause and is assessed differently from ringing, so see a doctor before running any caffeine experiment.
How long should I test caffeine changes?
At least three weeks: one stable baseline week, one gradual taper week, and one week holding the new level. Compare weekly averages rather than single days, because tinnitus varies from day to day for unrelated reasons.
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Disclaimer: Tinnitus Relief App is not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition, and no cure exists for tinnitus. This page is not medical advice. If your tinnitus is new, sudden, in one ear only, pulses with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss, dizziness or pain, consult a healthcare professional. Individual results vary significantly.
- Aljuaid SM, Mirza AA, Habib LA, et al. Does caffeine intake increase the incidence of tinnitus? A systematic review. International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology. 2021;25(4):e628–e632. PMC8558950
- Association between dietary intake and tinnitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2025;15(3):e091507. bmjopen.bmj.com
- Ledesma ALL, Rodrigues DL, Silva IMC, Oliveira CA, Bahmad F Jr. The effect of caffeine on tinnitus: randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(9):e0256275. PMC8452027
- St Claire L, Stothart G, McKenna L, Rogers PJ. Caffeine abstinence: an ineffective and potentially distressing tinnitus therapy. International Journal of Audiology. 2010;49(1):24–29.
- Figueiredo RR, Rates MJA, Azevedo AA, Moreira RK, Penido NO. Effects of the reduction of caffeine consumption on tinnitus perception. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology. 2014;80(5):416–421.
- Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology. 2004;176(1):1–29.
- Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2013;9(11):1195–1200.
- Tinnitus UK. Tinnitus, food and drink. tinnitus.org.uk
- NHS. Tinnitus. nhs.uk
- NHS 111 Wales. Tinnitus. 111.wales.nhs.uk