Of course, pregnancy is awesome and fantastic. But it can also be sort of… unpleasant, at least at times, and at least when it involves how it can make you feel. There’s the morning sickness, the changes to your body, the health hazards, and all kinds of weird side effects. Getting there can be a bit of a process, but that doesn’t take anything away from the joy of being a parent.
And now we can add hearing loss to that list of drawbacks.
Most individuals don’t immediately associate hearing loss with pregnancy. So it may be a surprise to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is fairly common. It’s not a bad idea to watch out for these symptoms. In some cases, the cause of pregnancy-associated hearing loss is innocuous and insignificant. In other cases, the cause is a serious issue and may require immediate medical treatment. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss go away? Well, it could be, depending on how quickly you address it and what the underlying cause is.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
You generally won’t hear about pregnancy-related hearing loss in pop-culture. Things like morning sickness are much more cinematic. This means that, generally speaking, individuals might be less likely to anticipate pregnancy-related hearing loss. So, it may be useful to know what to look out for.
Pregnancy-related hearing loss goes beyond just turning up the volume on your devices, after all. Here are a few of the most common:
- Everything seems quieter: Sure, this is likely the most apparent indication of hearing loss. But a condition called “sudden sensorineural hearing loss” comes on suddenly and can be more apparent. You should convey any abrupt hearing loss during pregnancy to your physician as soon as possible. You might require emergency treatment to stop the sudden hearing loss from becoming permanent.
- A feeling of fullness in your ears: Pregnancy-induced hearing loss may in some cases be accompanied by a feeling of stuffiness or fullness in your ears.
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many cases, pregnancy-induced hearing loss can affect the inner ear (or, in some cases, whatever is impacting the inner ear is also causing hearing loss). Whenever your inner ear isn’t working correctly, you might experience issues with balance and dizziness with your hearing loss. And that also goes for 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 instances, sound like your own heartbeat which is known as “pulsatile tinnitus”. You should consult your physician about your tinnitus, whether hearing loss is also present or not.
- Headaches and migraines: Regular headaches and migraines can also be more frequent.
None of these symptoms are necessarily universal. Depending on the underlying cause of your pregnancy-induced hearing loss, you may experience some symptoms but maybe not others. Either way, it’s a good idea to contact your doctor if experience any of these hearing loss symptoms. Because these symptoms might be an indication of a more serious concern.
What causes pregnancy-related hearing loss?
Is hearing affected by pregnancy? Sometimes, possibly. But being pregnant might also affect other parts of your body that will then go on to affect your hearing.
So how can pregnancy-related hearing loss possibly be caused? Well, the causes vary… but some of the most common include:
- Some of the typical things: If you get an ear infection, a sinus infection, or any kind of obstruction in your ear (like earwax), this can cause hearing loss whether you’re pregnant or not.
- Hormone and circulatory changes: When you become pregnant, your body is doing an exceptional amount of work. As a consequence, all sorts of changes are afoot, both with respect to your hormones and your circulatory system.
- High blood pressure: Hearing loss and tinnitus can be the result of high blood pressure which can be caused by pregnancy. And this is, in part, why it’s extremely important to tell your doctor about your hearing loss. Serious conditions, including preeclampsia, can trigger high blood pressure. These are issues that should be monitored carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Bone growth: There’s a rare affliction called otosclerosis where the tiny bones in your ear start growing more quickly, and this accelerated growth blocks the ability of sound to pass through your ears. Pregnancy induces hormonal changes and other body changes that can cause this type of bone growth. Otoscerlosis research is still a continuing process, and scientists are still working out just how much it impacts hearing.
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of consequences for your health and your child’s health. One of those impacts can in some cases be hearing loss in the woman who is pregnant.
In some cases, the cause of your hearing loss may be difficult to identify. The essential thing will be to keep track of your symptoms and be in regular communication with your doctor.
How do you treat this kind of hearing loss?
The root cause of this type of hearing loss will generally determine the course of treatment. Will my hearing return to normal? This is the most prevalent question people will have. In most situations, yes, your hearing will go back to normal once you’re no longer pregnant, or maybe even before.
But it’s also essential to get treatment for any symptoms you notice because getting your hearing back isn’t always certain. You might need extra treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for instance. The outcome will also depend on how quickly you get treatment when it comes to sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
That’s why it’s so important to make sure you report these symptoms to your provider. The next step will most likely be a thorough hearing assessment to eliminate any more severe conditions and try to diagnose the inherent cause.
Protect your hearing
Even when you’re pregnant, while you’re managing so many other things, it’s important to make sure you watch out for and safeguard your hearing. One of the best ways to do that is to remain in touch with us and with your care team. Schedule a hearing examination with us as soon as possible.
