Sure, pregnancy is awesome and wonderful. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be pretty unpleasant, at least in some cases. There are all sorts of strange side effects, including morning sickness, health challenges, and changes to your body. None of this takes away from the delight of being a parent… but it’s a whole undertaking to get there.
And now there’s another possible little disadvantage to add to the list: hearing loss.
Pregnancy isn’t usually the first thing you think of when someone is talking about hearing loss. So it may be a surprise to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is fairly prevalent. This means that these symptoms are worth watching out for. Pregnancy-related hearing loss isn’t something you should be worried about in most cases. Sadly, sometimes the cause is a more serious problem that could require swift medical attention. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss clear up? Well, it could be, depending on how quickly you treat it and what the underlying cause is.
Pregnancy-related hearing loss symptoms
You usually won’t hear about pregnancy-induced hearing loss in pop-culture. Things like morning sickness are a lot more cinematic. This means that, generally speaking, 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 go beyond cranking the volume up on your television. Here are a few of the most common:
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, or a ringing or buzzing in the ears. In some cases, this tinnitus may even sound like or take on the rhythm of your own heartbeat (this is known as pulsatile tinnitus). Whether this tinnitus exists by itself or with hearing loss, it’s worth talking to your care team about what you’re feeling.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this indication of hearing loss is the most evident. But if it happens suddenly, it’s something known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any form of sudden hearing loss during pregnancy should be conveyed to your healthcare team as soon as possible. In order to stop sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible, you might require emergency treatment.
- A plugged feeling in your ears: A feeling of fullness in the ears frequently accompanies pregnancy-induced hearing loss.
- Headaches and migraines: You might also experience an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you get regularly.
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many cases, pregnancy-induced hearing loss can impact the inner ear (or, in some cases, whatever is impacting the inner ear is also causing hearing loss). Your hearing loss might be accompanied by dizziness and balance problems if you have a problem with your inner ear. Pregnancy-related hearing loss is no exception.
None of these symptoms are necessarily universal. Depending on the root cause of your pregnancy-induced hearing loss, you might experience some symptoms but not others. Either way, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if experience any of these hearing loss symptoms. Because these symptoms could be an indication of a more serious concern.
What causes pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
Is hearing affected by pregnancy? Well, possibly, sometimes. But other parts of your body are affected by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then impact your hearing.
So, what are the possible causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss? Here are some of the most common causes:
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): Your body is performing an extraordinary amount of work when you become pregnant. As a consequence, all kinds of changes are afoot, both with respect to your hormones and your circulatory system.
- High blood pressure: While you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can cause tinnitus and hearing loss. So telling your physician about your hearing loss symptoms is very important. Serious conditions, including preeclampsia, can trigger high blood pressure. These are problems that need to be tracked carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of repercussions for your health and your baby’s health. Hearing loss can sometimes be one of those effects for the pregnant person.
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, common things like blockages, sinus infections, and ear infections can cause hearing loss.
- 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. In pregnant individuals, this faster bone growth may be caused by alterations in your hormones or other changes in your body. Otoscerlosis research is still a continuing process, and scientists are still working out exactly how much it affects hearing.
In some situations, the cause of your hearing loss simply won’t be all that well comprehended. The important thing will be to keep track of your symptoms and be in frequent communication with your doctor.
How do you manage this form of hearing loss?
Treatment of this type of hearing loss will likely depend on the underlying cause. The question that most individuals have is: will my hearing return to normal? In most cases, yes, your hearing will go back to normal once your pregnancy is over, or possibly even before.
However, this isn’t always the situation, so it’s essential to be proactive when you detect symptoms. You might require additional treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for example. The results will also depend on how quickly you get treatment in the case of abrupt sensorineural hearing loss.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your physician is so essential. You might then undergo a complete hearing screening or assessment to help figure out your symptoms (or at least eliminate any of the more dangerous possible impacts).
Protect your hearing
Protecting your hearing is something you need to watch out for particularly when you’re pregnant. Getting regular evaluations with us is one of the best ways to do that. Schedule a hearing test with us right away.