Of course, pregnancy is awesome and incredible. But in terms of how it can make you feel, it can be fairly unpleasant, at least in some cases. There’s the morning sickness, the difference in your body, the health challenges, and all kinds of weird side effects. Getting there can be somewhat 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 may be a surprise to learn that pregnancy-related hearing loss is rather common. It’s not a bad idea to watch out for these symptoms. Pregnancy-related hearing loss isn’t something you need to be worried about in most cases. In other cases, the cause is a serious concern and may call for immediate medical treatment. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss go away? Well, the answer sort of depends on the underlying cause, and how fast you address it.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-induced hearing loss?
You typically won’t hear about pregnancy-induced hearing loss in pop-culture. It isn’t nearly as cinematic as things like morning sickness. This means that, generally, people may be less likely to expect pregnancy-related hearing loss. So, it might be beneficial to know what to look out for.
Pregnancy-related hearing loss is about more than just cranking up the volume on your devices, after all. The most common symptoms include the following:
- Headaches and migraines: You might also have an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you get regularly.
- Everything seems quieter: Sure, this is probably the most evident sign of hearing loss. But a condition known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss” comes on all of a sudden and can be more noticeable. You should report any sudden hearing loss during pregnancy to your provider as soon as you can. In order to stop sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible, you might require emergency treatment.
- A feeling of 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 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 on its own or with hearing loss, it’s worth talking to your doctor about what you’re feeling.
- Dizziness and imbalance: In many cases, pregnancy-related hearing loss can affect the inner ear (or, in some instances, whatever is impacting the inner ear is also causing hearing loss). Your hearing loss may be accompanied by dizziness and balance issues if you have an issue with your inner ear. And that also applies to pregnancy-related hearing loss.
None of these symptoms are necessarily universal. Depending on the underlying cause of your pregnancy-related hearing loss, you might experience some symptoms but maybe not others. In any case, if you experience hearing loss or any of the associated symptoms while you are pregnant, it’s usually a good plan to talk to your doctor. Because these symptoms may be an indication of a more serious problem.
The causes of pregnancy-related hearing loss
Does being pregnant impact hearing? Well, perhaps, in some cases. But being pregnant may also affect other parts of your body that will then go on to affect your hearing.
So, what are the potential causes of pregnancy-related hearing loss? Here are several of the most prevalent causes:
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of consequences for your health and your baby’s health. One of those impacts can sometimes be hearing loss in the person who is pregnant.
- Some of the typical things: If you get an ear infection, a sinus infection, or any type of obstruction in your ear (such as earwax), this can trigger hearing loss whether you’re pregnant or not.
- 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 serious ailments. These are issues that need to be watched carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Bone growth: There’s a rare affliction called otosclerosis where the tiny bones in your ear start growing more quickly, and this accelerated growth prevents sound from passing through your ears. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes and other body changes that can lead to this kind of bone growth. It should be mentioned that research into otosclerosis during pregnancy, and exactly how much it affects hearing, is continuing.
- Hormone and circulatory changes: Your body is doing an exceptional amount of work when you get pregnant. As a result, all sorts of changes are happening, both with respect to your hormones and your circulatory system.
Sometimes, the cause of your hearing loss could be hard to determine. Regularly talking to your physician and keeping track of your symptoms is the key here.
How do you manage this form of hearing loss?
The root cause of this type of hearing loss will generally determine the course of treatment. Will my hearing return to normal? This is the most prevalent question people will have. Once your pregnancy is over, your hearing should go back to normal, or maybe even sooner.
But it’s also important to get treatment for any symptoms you observe because getting your hearing back isn’t always a given. You might need extra treatment if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, for example. Likewise, if you suffer from abrupt sensorineural hearing loss, the results 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 most likely be a thorough hearing assessment to rule out any more serious conditions and try to diagnose the root cause.
Protect your hearing
Safeguarding your hearing is something you should pay attention to especially when you’re pregnant. Getting regular evaluations with us is one of the best ways to do that. Give us a call today to set up a hearing evaluation.
