It’s an awesome and incredible experience, having a child. But when it comes to how it can make you feel, it can be rather unpleasant, at least in some cases. There’s the morning sickness, the changes to your body, the health challenges, and all sorts of strange 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 connect hearing loss with pregnancy. So it might be a surprise to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is fairly common. It’s not a bad plan to keep an eye out for these symptoms. 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 treatment. Is hearing loss during pregnancy permanent? Well, it could be, depending on how quickly you address it and what the root cause is.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss?
You typically won’t hear about pregnancy-induced hearing loss in pop-culture. Things like morning sickness are a lot more cinematic. This means that, generally, people may be less likely to anticipate pregnancy-related hearing loss. So knowing what to watch out for can be helpful.
After all, the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss go beyond cranking up the volume on your television. The most common symptoms include the following:
- Dizziness and imbalance: The inner ear can be affected by pregnancy-induced hearing loss, or in some cases a pre-existing issue with the inner ear can be the source of that hearing loss. Your hearing loss may be accompanied by dizziness and balance issues if you have an issue with your inner ear. Pregnancy-related hearing loss is no exception.
- A plugged feeling in your ears: A feeling of fullness in the ears often accompanies pregnancy-induced hearing loss.
- Tinnitus: A ringing in your ears, known as tinnitus, is frequently associated with pregnancy-induced hearing loss. In some cases, this tinnitus might even sound like or take on the rhythm of your own heartbeat (this is known as pulsatile tinnitus). You should consult your doctor about your tinnitus, whether hearing loss is also present or not.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this symptom of hearing loss is the most obvious. But a condition called “sudden sensorineural hearing loss” happens suddenly and can be more obvious. You should convey any sudden hearing loss during pregnancy to your provider as soon as possible. In order to prevent sudden hearing loss from becoming permanent, you might require emergency treatment.
- Headaches and migraines: You may also experience an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you get regularly.
These aren’t universal symptoms. You will most likely experience some symptoms and not others depending on the root 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 usually a good idea to talk to your provider. Because these symptoms could be an indication of a more serious issue.
The causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss
Is hearing affected by pregnancy? In some cases, maybe. But other parts of your body are impacted by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then impact your hearing.
So, what are the potential causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss? Well, the causes differ… but some of the most common include:
- Bone growth: The ability for sound to pass through your ears can be blocked by a disorder called otosclerosis which causes the tiny bones in your ear to grow too fast. In pregnant women, this faster bone growth may be caused by alterations in your hormones or other changes in your body. It should be mentioned that research into otosclerosis during pregnancy, and exactly how much it affects hearing, is continuing.
- High blood pressure: Hearing loss and tinnitus can be the outcome of high blood pressure which can be caused by pregnancy. And this is, to some extent, why it’s really important to tell your doctor about your hearing loss. High blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and other severe ailments. Throughout pregnancy, these issues should be monitored.
- Some of the typical things: If you develop an ear infection, a sinus infection, or any type of blockage in your ear (such as earwax), this can trigger hearing loss whether you’re pregnant or not.
- An iron deficiency: Your health, and the health of your child, can both be affected in lots of ways by an iron deficiency. One of those impacts can in some cases be hearing loss in the woman who is pregnant.
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): Your body is doing an extraordinary amount of work when you become pregnant. As a result, all sorts of changes are afoot, both in terms of your hormones and your circulatory system.
In some cases, the cause of your hearing loss may be difficult to identify. The important thing will be to be mindful of your symptoms and be in regular communication with your doctor.
How is this type of hearing loss managed?
Treatment of this kind of hearing loss will usually depend on the root cause. The question that most people have is: will my hearing return to normal? Once your pregnancy has ended, your hearing should go back to normal, or maybe even sooner.
But it’s also important to get treatment for any symptoms you detect because getting your hearing back isn’t always a given. You may require additional treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for example. Similarly, if you suffer from abrupt sensorineural hearing loss, the outcome will depend on how quickly you receive treatment.
That’s why it’s so essential to make sure you report these symptoms to your doctor. The next step will probably 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 pay attention to particularly when you’re pregnant. One of the best ways to do that is to remain in touch with us and with your care team. Schedule a hearing test with us as soon as possible.
