Sure, pregnancy is amazing and wonderful. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be fairly unpleasant, at least sometimes. There’s the morning sickness, the difference in your body, the health challenges, and all kinds of strange side effects. None of this detracts from the joy of being a parent… but it’s a whole undertaking to get there.
And now we can add hearing loss to that list of disadvantages.
Pregnancy isn’t typically the first thing you think of when someone is talking about hearing loss. So it may be surprising to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is rather prevalent. This means that these symptoms are worth watching out for. Pregnancy-associated hearing loss isn’t something you need to be concerned about in most cases. In other cases, the cause is a serious issue and could require immediate medical attention. Is hearing loss during pregnancy permanent? Well, the answer sort of depends on the underlying cause, and how fast you treat it.
Pregnancy-related hearing loss symptoms
Hearing loss during pregnancy doesn’t make an appearance on a lot of sitcoms or in very many romantic comedies. Things like morning sickness are a lot more cinematic. People usually don’t expect pregnancy-related hearing loss, because of this. So knowing what to look out for can be helpful.
After all, the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss go beyond cranking up the volume on your television. Here are some of the most common:
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many cases, pregnancy-related hearing loss can impact 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 may experience issues with balance and dizziness accompanying your hearing loss. Pregnancy-related hearing loss is no exception.
- Everything seems quieter: Certainly, this is probably the most apparent indication of hearing loss. But if it happens suddenly, it’s something known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any form of abrupt hearing loss during pregnancy should be reported to your healthcare team as soon as you can. You might require emergency treatment to prevent the sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible.
- Tinnitus: A ringing in your ears, called tinnitus, is frequently linked to pregnancy-related hearing loss. In some circumstances, 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 consulting your doctor about what you’re feeling.
- A feeling of fullness 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 have on a regular basis.
These aren’t universal symptoms. You will most likely experience some symptoms and not others depending on the underlying cause of your pregnancy-related hearing loss. In any event, if you experience hearing loss or any of the related symptoms while you are pregnant, it’s generally a good plan to talk to your provider. Because these symptoms may be an indication of a more serious problem.
The causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss
Does being pregnant affect hearing? Well, maybe, sometimes. But other parts of your body are affected by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then affect your hearing.
So, what are the likely causes of pregnancy-related hearing loss? Here are several of the most common causes:
- Bone growth: There’s a rare condition known as otosclerosis in which 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 produces hormonal changes and other body changes that can lead to this kind of bone growth. Otoscerlosis research is still an ongoing process, and scientists are still figuring out just how much it affects hearing.
- High blood pressure: While you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can trigger tinnitus and hearing loss. So telling your doctor about your hearing loss symptoms is really important. Serious ailments, including preeclampsia, can trigger high blood pressure. These are issues that should be monitored carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Hormone and circulatory changes: When you get pregnant, your body is doing an exceptional amount of work. Your hormones and circulatory system are experiencing lots of changes, as a result.
- An iron deficiency: Your health, and the health of your baby, can both be affected in a wide variety of ways by an iron deficiency. One of those impacts can sometimes be hearing loss in the person who is pregnant.
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, typical things like obstructions, sinus infections, and ear infections can trigger hearing loss.
In some instances, the cause of your hearing loss simply won’t be all that well understood. Regularly consulting your physician and keeping track of your symptoms is the key here.
How do you manage this type of hearing loss?
Treatment of this form of hearing loss will usually depend on the root cause. Will my hearing return to normal? This is the most common question individuals will have. Once your pregnancy has ended, your hearing should go back to normal, or possibly even sooner.
But it’s also essential to get treatment for any symptoms you detect because getting your hearing back isn’t always certain. You might require additional treatment if bone growth is obstructing your ear canal, for example. Likewise, if you experience sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the results will depend on how fast you receive treatment.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your physician is so important. The next step will most likely be a thorough hearing assessment to rule out any more serious conditions and try to diagnose the underlying cause.
Protect your hearing
Protecting your hearing is something you should 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.