It’s an amazing and incredible experience, having a child. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be rather unpleasant, at least sometimes. There are all sorts of peculiar side effects, including morning sickness, health hazards, and changes to your body. None of this detracts from the happiness of being a parent… but it’s a whole process to get there.
And now there’s another possible small drawback to add to the list: hearing loss.
Pregnancy isn’t normally the first thing you think of when somebody is talking about hearing loss. So it may be surprising to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is fairly common. It’s not a bad plan to watch out for these symptoms. In some cases, the source of pregnancy-associated hearing loss is innocuous and banal. In other cases, the cause is a serious concern and could require immediate medical attention. Is hearing loss during pregnancy irreversible? Well, it could be, depending on how rapidly you address it and what the root cause is.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss?
Hearing loss during pregnancy doesn’t make an appearance on many sitcoms or in very many romantic comedies. Things like morning sickness are a lot more cinematic. People typically don’t expect pregnancy-related hearing loss, because of this. So knowing what to watch out for can be helpful.
After all, the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss go beyond cranking the volume up on your television. The most common symptoms include the following:
- Dizziness and imbalance: The inner ear can be affected by pregnancy-related hearing loss, or sometimes a pre-existing problem with the inner ear can be the source of that hearing loss. Whenever your inner ear isn’t functioning correctly, you may experience problems with balance and dizziness with your hearing loss. Pregnancy-related hearing loss isn’t an exception.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this symptom of hearing loss is the most evident. But a condition called “sudden sensorineural hearing loss” occurs suddenly and can be more obvious. Any type of sudden hearing loss during pregnancy should be reported to your healthcare team as soon as possible. In order to prevent sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible, you may require emergency treatment.
- Headaches and migraines: You might also have an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you have regularly.
- You feel a fullness in your ears: A feeling of fullness in the ears frequently accompanies pregnancy-related hearing loss.
- Tinnitus: A ringing in your ears, called tinnitus, is frequently associated with pregnancy-related hearing loss. The rhythm and sound of your tinnitus symptoms can, in some circumstances, sound like your own heartbeat which is called “pulsatile tinnitus”. You should talk to your physician about your tinnitus, whether hearing loss is also present or not.
These aren’t universal symptoms. You will probably experience some symptoms and not others depending on the root cause of your pregnancy-induced 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 in some cases be a sign of some rare but bigger issues.
What causes pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
Does being pregnant impact hearing? In some cases, maybe. But other parts of your body are affected by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then affect your hearing.
So how can pregnancy-induced hearing loss possibly be caused? Here are several of the most prevalent causes:
- High blood pressure: Hearing loss and tinnitus can be the result of high blood pressure which can be caused by pregnancy. So telling your doctor about your hearing loss symptoms is very important. High blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and other serious ailments. Throughout pregnancy, these problems should be monitored.
- Bone growth: There’s a rare affliction called otosclerosis where the tiny bones in your ear start growing more quickly, and this accelerated growth blocks the ability of sound to pass through your ears. In pregnant individuals, this faster bone growth may be caused by changes in your hormones or other changes in your body. Otoscerlosis research is still an ongoing process, and scientists are still figuring out exactly how much it impacts hearing.
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): Your body is doing an exceptional amount of work when you get pregnant. Your hormones and circulatory system are experiencing lots of changes, as an outcome.
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of consequences for your health and your child’s health. Hearing loss can sometimes be one of those impacts for the pregnant person.
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, typical things like obstructions, sinus infections, and ear infections can cause hearing loss.
In some cases, the cause of your hearing loss just 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 is this form of hearing loss treated?
Treatment of this type of hearing loss will likely depend on the root cause. Will my hearing go back to normal? This is the most common question individuals will have. Once your pregnancy is over, your hearing should return to normal, or possibly even sooner.
However, this isn’t always the default, so it’s important to be proactive when you observe symptoms. You may need extra treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for instance. Likewise, if you suffer from sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the results will depend on how rapidly you receive treatment.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your physician is so important. The next step will probably be a comprehensive hearing assessment to eliminate any more serious conditions and try to diagnose the inherent cause.
Protect your hearing
Safeguarding your hearing is something you should pay attention to particularly when you’re pregnant. Getting regular evaluations with us is one of the best ways to do that. Give us a call today to schedule a hearing evaluation.