It’s an awesome and incredible experience, having a child. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be rather uncomfortable, at least in some cases. There are all sorts of peculiar side effects, including morning sickness, health challenges, and changes to your body. None of this takes away from the happiness 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 usually the first thing you think of when someone is talking about hearing loss. But pregnancy-related hearing loss is actually more common than most people might think. It’s not a bad idea to watch out for these symptoms. In some cases, the cause of pregnancy-related hearing loss is harmless and banal. Unfortunately, sometimes the cause is a more serious problem that could call for swift medical treatment. Is hearing loss during pregnancy permanent? Well, it could be, depending on how rapidly you address it and what the root cause is.
Pregnancy-induced hearing loss symptoms
You typically won’t hear about pregnancy-related hearing loss in pop-culture. It isn’t nearly as cinematic as things like morning sickness. This means that, generally, people might be less likely to expect pregnancy-related hearing loss. So, it might be helpful to know what to look out for.
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:
- A feeling of fullness in your ears: Pregnancy-induced hearing loss may sometimes be accompanied by a feeling of stuffiness or fullness in your ears.
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is frequently linked to 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”. Whether this tinnitus exists on its own or with hearing loss, it’s worth consulting your doctor about what you’re feeling.
- Everything seems quieter: Sure, this is probably the most obvious sign of hearing loss. But if it occurs all of a sudden, it’s something known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any type of sudden hearing loss during pregnancy should be conveyed to your healthcare team as soon as you can. In order to stop sudden hearing loss from becoming permanent, you might require emergency treatment.
- Headaches and migraines: You might also have an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you have on a regular basis.
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many cases, pregnancy-related hearing loss can affect the inner ear (or, in some situations, whatever is affecting the inner ear is also causing hearing loss). Your hearing loss may be accompanied by dizziness and balance problems if you have a problem with your inner ear. And that also goes for pregnancy-related hearing loss.
None of these symptoms are fundamentally universal. You will most likely experience some symptoms and not others depending on the underlying cause of your pregnancy-related hearing loss. Either way, it’s a good idea to contact your doctor if experience any of these hearing loss symptoms. That’s because these symptoms can sometimes be a sign of some rare but bigger issues.
What causes pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
Is hearing impacted by pregnancy? Well, perhaps, sometimes. But other parts of your body are impacted by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then impact your hearing.
So how can pregnancy-related hearing loss possibly be caused? Here are some of the most prevalent causes:
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, typical things like blockages, sinus infections, and ear infections can trigger hearing loss.
- Bone growth: The ability for sound to pass through your ears can be blocked by an ailment called otosclerosis which causes the tiny bones in your ear to grow too quickly. In pregnant individuals, this faster bone growth might be caused by changes in your hormones or other changes in your body. It should be noted that research into otosclerosis during pregnancy, and exactly how much it affects hearing, is ongoing.
- High blood pressure: When you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can trigger tinnitus and hearing loss. And this is, to some extent, why it’s extremely important to tell your provider about your hearing loss. High blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and other serious ailments. Throughout pregnancy, these problems should be tracked.
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): When you become pregnant, your body is doing an exceptional amount of work. As a consequence, all sorts of changes are happening, both with respect to your hormones and your circulatory system.
- 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 impacts for the pregnant person.
Sometimes, the cause of your hearing loss may be difficult to determine. 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 likely depend on the underlying cause. The question that many people have is: will my hearing loss clear up? Once your pregnancy is over, your hearing should return to normal, or maybe even sooner.
However, this is not always the situation, so it’s important to be aggressive when you detect symptoms. You might need additional treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for instance. Similarly, if you suffer from abrupt sensorineural hearing loss, the outcome will depend on how rapidly you receive treatment.
That’s why it’s so important to make sure you report these symptoms to your provider. The next step will probably be a complete hearing evaluation to eliminate any more severe conditions and try to diagnose the root cause.
Protect your hearing
Even when you’re pregnant, while you’re juggling so many other things, it’s important to be certain you pay attention to and safeguard your hearing. One of the best ways to do that is to stay in touch with us and with your care team. Schedule a hearing examination with us right away.
