Study Finds Strong Association Between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Tinnitus

A recent study published in the Nature Scientific Reports found a possible connection between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and tinnitus, a condition characterized by ringing or other noises in the ears. This research analyzed data from a total of 669,159 patients registered in South Korea's National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort between 2012 and 2019 which unveiled a significant association between GERD and tinnitus.

GERD is a chronic condition marked by the regurgitation of stomach contents into the esophagus, often leading to discomfort and complications. The recent studies suggest that acid reflux may disturb the balance within the middle and inner ear via the Eustachian tube that connects the throat to the ear and plays a critical role in pressure regulation. This imbalance could potentially explain a link between GERD and auditory symptoms like tinnitus.

This retrospective cohort approach provided a robust dataset to explore this connection. This research carefully examined patient records to identify incidences of tinnitus in individuals diagnosed with GERD. The findings revealed a strong correlation by suggesting that GERD might contribute to the onset of tinnitus through mechanisms related to acid reflux-induced ear imbalance.

However, the study also addressed a critical question if treatment for GERD, specifically proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), reduce the likelihood of developing tinnitus as PPIs are a common medication used to manage GERD symptoms by reducing stomach acid production. Also, the data indicated that PPI use in GERD patients did not significantly lower the risk of tinnitus onset.

This result emphasized the need for further studies to unravel the precise mechanisms linking GERD to tinnitus and to assess whether alternative treatment strategies might reduce this risk. The findings have important implications for clinicians and patients. Physicians managing GERD should be aware of the potential for associated auditory symptoms and consider interdisciplinary approaches when treating affected patients.

For individuals experiencing tinnitus along with GERD, these results underline the importance of comprehensive care that addresses both conditions holistically. While the association between GERD and tinnitus opens new avenues for research and treatment, the lack of a clear benefit from PPI therapy signals the complexity of this relationship.

Reference:

Kang, S.-W., An, M. H., Ha, S., Kim, M.-G., Park, T. J., Kim, H. K., Sheen, K., Park, R. W., & Park, S. S. (2024). Association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and tinnitus in a nationwide population-based cohort study. In Scientific Reports (Vol. 14, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81658-7