Of course, pregnancy is awesome and fantastic. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be fairly uncomfortable, at least sometimes. There are all kinds of strange side effects, including morning sickness, health challenges, and changes to your body. None of this detracts from the joy of being a parent… but it’s a whole process to get there.
And now we can add hearing loss to that list of disadvantages.
Most people don’t immediately connect hearing loss with pregnancy. So it may be surprising to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is fairly prevalent. It’s not a bad idea to keep an eye out for these symptoms. Pregnancy-related hearing loss isn’t something you need to be worried about in most cases. In other cases, the cause is a serious concern and could require immediate medical attention. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss clear up? Well, it could be, depending on how rapidly you treat it and what the root cause is.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss?
Hearing loss during pregnancy doesn’t show up on many sitcoms or in very many romantic comedies. Things like morning sickness are much more cinematic. This means that, generally, people might be less likely to anticipate pregnancy-related hearing loss. So knowing what to look out for can be helpful.
After all, the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss are about more than turning the volume up on your television. Here are some of the most common:
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this symptom of hearing loss is the most apparent. But if it happens abruptly, it’s something called “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. You should report any sudden hearing loss during pregnancy to your physician as soon as you can. In order to prevent sudden hearing loss from becoming permanent, you might need emergency treatment.
- Headaches and migraines: Regular headaches and migraines can also be more frequent.
- You feel a fullness in your ears: A feeling of fullness in the ears frequently accompanies pregnancy-related hearing loss.
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, or a ringing or buzzing in the ears. The rhythm and sound of your tinnitus symptoms can, in some cases, sound like your own heartbeat which is called “pulsatile tinnitus”. Whether this tinnitus exists by itself or with hearing loss, it’s worth consulting your care team about what you’re feeling.
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many instances, pregnancy-related hearing loss can affect the inner ear (or, in some cases, whatever is affecting the inner ear is also causing hearing loss). Whenever your inner ear isn’t working properly, you might have issues with balance and dizziness accompanying your hearing loss. And that also goes for pregnancy-related hearing loss.
None of these symptoms are inevitably universal. You will most likely experience some symptoms and not others depending on the root cause of your pregnancy-induced hearing loss. Either way, it’s a good plan to contact your doctor if experience any of these hearing loss symptoms. That’s because these symptoms can in some cases be an indication of some rare but larger issues.
What causes pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
Does being pregnant impact hearing? In some cases, maybe. But other parts of your body are affected by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then impact your hearing.
So how can pregnancy-related hearing loss possibly be caused? Well, the causes differ… but some of the most prevalent include:
- Bone growth: The ability for sound to pass through your ears can be obstructed by a disorder called otosclerosis which causes the tiny bones in your ear to grow too fast. Pregnancy produces hormonal changes and other body changes that can cause this type of bone growth. Otoscerlosis research is still an ongoing process, and scientists are still figuring out exactly how much it affects hearing.
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, common things like blockages, sinus infections, and ear infections can cause hearing loss.
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): Your body is doing an extraordinary amount of work when you become pregnant. As a consequence, all kinds of changes are afoot, both in terms of your hormones and your circulatory system.
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of consequences for your health and your baby’s health. One of those impacts can sometimes be hearing loss in the person who is pregnant.
- High blood pressure: Hearing loss and tinnitus can be the result of high blood pressure which can be caused by pregnancy. So telling your doctor about your hearing loss symptoms is really important. Serious ailments, including preeclampsia, can trigger high blood pressure. Throughout pregnancy, these issues should be monitored.
In some situations, the cause of your hearing loss just won’t be all that well comprehended. The essential thing will be to keep an eye on your symptoms and be in regular communication with your provider.
How do you treat this form of hearing loss?
Treatment of this form of hearing loss will usually depend on the root cause. The question that most people have is: will my hearing loss clear up? In most situations, yes, your hearing will go back to normal once you’re no longer pregnant, or maybe even before.
However, this isn’t always the default, so it’s essential to be proactive when you observe symptoms. You might require extra treatment if bone growth is obstructing your ear canal, for instance. The results will also depend on how fast you get treatment when it comes to sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your doctor is so important. You might then go through a comprehensive hearing screening or assessment to help figure out your symptoms (or at least rule out any of the more severe possible impacts).
Protect your hearing
Even when you’re pregnant, while you’re juggling so many other things, it’s important to be certain you watch out for and protect your hearing. Getting regular evaluations with us is one of the best ways to do that. Schedule a hearing examination with us right away.