Are you a smoker? We know it’s an incredibly addictive habit which is very difficult to quit. You may already know so many of the health risks to your heart, your lungs, and the increased threat of cancer throughout your body. However, if you are looking for one more reason to quit, studies show that hearing loss and tobacco products are very related.
In fact, new studies are coming out every day which solidifies this connection. Notably a large January 2022 study, containing over 3,000 participants found links between persistent smoking and hearing problems. In this 30-year study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, researchers examined three groups of people:
Those who have never smoked and former smokers,
- Smokers who quit during the study
- Smokers who continued to smoke for the duration of the study.
- Current smokers
The study found that those who continued to smoke were at the highest risk for hearing loss. They determined that quitting smoking at any time may be beneficial for hearing health.
Secondhand Smoke and Hearing Loss
Other studies have backed up this claim and In fact, studies have found that you don’t even need to be a smoker to have an increased risk. Simply sharing space regularly with someone who smokes can double your risk of hearing loss—as secondhand smoke can be just as harmful!! This can be devastating to parents and caretakers who take care of infants, small children and even teenagers who don’t have a choice whether they inhale your tobacco smoke or not!
Studies show that teenagers exposed to cigarette smoke are two to three times as likely to develop hearing loss compared to those with little or no exposure. Even more alarming, nearly 80 percent of the participants in the study had no idea their hearing health had been affected! It’s important to think of the example you are setting for your children, as your habits so very often rub off. Research shows that, teens have three times the likeliness of smoking at least one cigarette, and nearly twice the odds of nicotine dependence if their parent was dependent on nicotine products.
How Does Smoking Affect Hearing?
We know that smoking makes hearing loss more likely, but we have to ask why?! Well, understanding this requires you not only to understand how hearing works, but how smoking affects your body. We collect sound with our ears but hearing and comprehension must happen in the brain. The job of the ears is to deliver sound to the brain, and it achieves this ultimately via tiny hair-like cells called stereocilia which convert audio waves into electrical impulses. Stereocilia are very fragile and susceptible to changes in blood flow and cell health. This is how cigarettes and tobacco products affect the ear. Many chemicals in cigarettes such as nicotine and carbon monoxide are classified as ototoxic chemicals—meaning they damage the cells of the ear, contributing to permanent hearing loss. These chemicals lower oxygen blood levels and constrict blood vessels all over your body–including those in your inner ear responsible critical for the support to the stereocilia.
Finally, Some Good News!
While the results of the 2022 JAMA study may feel daunting, the good news is that former smokers measured better on hearing tests than persistent smokers. This means that it is never too late to quit to begin to support your hearing along with your total health. For instance, the American Lung Association explains that even within 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your blood pressure decreases, and your circulation improves. Within 8 hours, your carbon monoxide and oxygen levels return to normal. In 48 hours, your sense of smell and taste improve, and your nerve endings begin to regenerate.
We are Here for Support
We know that quitting smoking is not easy. While you can’t reverse any sensorineural hearing loss you’ve developed during your smoking years, you can prevent any future nicotine-related damage to your hearing once you quit and this is just one incentive. To find out how we can support your hearing and tips to help you quit, we are here for support and resources. In addition, we can test your hearing and find the best solution to support you and your hearing health. Call today!