The Influence of Smoking on Hearing

Even though heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer are all linked to smoking, one thing to take note of is that smoking can also impact your hearing health. If you’re one of the 40 million people in the United States who smoke, or if you live with someone who smokes then keep on reading to see how smoking is linked to hearing loss.

Eustachian Tube

Your Eustachian tube runs from the middle ear all the way to the back of your throat. It helps to equalize some of the pressure within the ear, draining any mucous that is created by your middle ear lining. Smoking can lead to a ton of problems, and sometimes, blockages in the Eustachian tube. This leads to buildup and can lead to experiencing hearing loss.

Blood Pressure

Smoking affects your blood pressure in more ways than one, but what does all of this have to do with hearing? The structures within your inner ear do depend on sturdy blood flow. When your blood pressure changes, the inner ear will have a hard time processing sound. If you are pregnant, then smoking will restrict blood flow to the fetus. The inner ear, which is still developing, won’t get enough oxygen and this means it will develop more slowly. This can lead to speech and language problems later.

Neurotransmitters and the Brain

Neurotransmitters are essentially messengers that carry information between all the cells within the body. Nicotine changes the way that these transmitters work. One of them is key when it comes to transporting sound information from the inner ear, right to the brain. This means that your brain won’t be getting enough sound input, so you may find it harder to hear.

Central Nervous System

The parts of your nervous system which control how well you can hear, are still developing during adolescence. This system can be damaged by toxins, which include nicotine. This may be why a lot of adolescent’s experience hearing loss, as the result of second-hand smoke. Even though hearing loss cannot be reversed if it is caused by smoking, it’s never too late for you to quit. If you can stop now, then you may find that you can stop any further damage from happening and this can help you to support your health going into the future.

Tinnitus

Numerous studies consistently highlight a strong association between smoking and the ringing or buzzing you are experiencing. Smoking not only impact the middle ear but also affect the delicate hairs lining the cochlea. Consequently, smoking can lead to symptoms like tinnitus and dizziness, indicating an influence on the inner ear. Quitting smoking is crucial not only for overall health but also for reducing the potential impact on auditory well-being associated with these harmful substances.

Smoking can affect your ears in more ways than one. If you want to take care of your hearing health, then stopping now is the best thing you can do. If you want to learn more about your hearing contact an audiologist, they will be able to diagnose and find a suitable treatment for you.