Sure, pregnancy is amazing and wonderful. But when it comes to how it can make you feel, it can be pretty uncomfortable, at least in some cases. There are all kinds of strange side effects, like morning sickness, health hazards, and changes to your body. Getting there can be a bit of a process, but that doesn’t take anything away from the happiness of being a parent.
And now we can add hearing loss to that list of drawbacks.
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 may presume. It’s not a bad idea to watch out for these symptoms. In some cases, the source of pregnancy-induced hearing loss is harmless and banal. Sadly, sometimes the cause is a more serious issue that could call for swift medical treatment. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss go away? Well, the answer sort of depends on the root cause, and how fast you treat it.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-related hearing loss?
You usually won’t hear about pregnancy-induced hearing loss in pop-culture. Things like morning sickness are a lot more cinematic. People generally don’t expect pregnancy-related hearing loss, because of this. So, it may be useful to know what to watch out for.
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: In many cases, pregnancy-induced hearing loss can affect the inner ear (or, in some cases, whatever is affecting 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 goes for pregnancy-related hearing loss.
- You feel a fullness in your ears: A feeling of fullness in the ears frequently accompanies pregnancy-related hearing loss.
- Headaches and migraines: You might also experience an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you get on a regular basis.
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, or a ringing or buzzing in the ears. The rhythm and sound of your tinnitus symptoms can, in some cases, 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 care team about what you’re feeling.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this indication of hearing loss is the most obvious. But if it comes on suddenly, it’s something known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any form of sudden hearing loss during pregnancy should be reported to your healthcare team as soon as you can. You might need emergency treatment to stop the sudden hearing loss from becoming permanent.
None of these symptoms are necessarily universal. You will probably 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 idea to talk to your doctor. That’s because these symptoms can in some cases be a sign of some rare but larger issues.
The causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss
Does being pregnant impact hearing? Well, maybe, in some cases. But other parts of your body are impacted 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 prevalent causes:
- An iron deficiency: Your health, and the health of your child, can both be affected in a wide variety of ways by an iron deficiency. Hearing loss can sometimes be one of those impacts for the pregnant person.
- Changes in your circulatory system (and hormones): When you become pregnant, your body is doing an extreme amount of work. Your hormones and circulatory system are experiencing lots of changes, as a result.
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, common things like blockages, sinus infections, and ear infections can cause hearing loss.
- High blood pressure: While you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can trigger tinnitus and hearing loss. And this is, to some extent, why it’s very important to tell your provider about your hearing loss. High blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and other serious conditions. These are problems that need to be tracked carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- 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 quickly. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes and other body changes that can cause this kind of bone growth. It should be noted that research into otosclerosis during pregnancy, and exactly how much it affects hearing, is ongoing.
Sometimes, the cause of your hearing loss could be difficult to identify. The essential thing will be to keep track of your symptoms and be in regular communication with your provider.
How is this type of hearing loss treated?
Treatment of this type of hearing loss will likely depend on the underlying cause. The question that many individuals have is: will my hearing loss clear up? Once your pregnancy is over, your hearing should go back to normal, or maybe even sooner.
However, this is not always the situation, so it’s essential to be proactive when you observe symptoms. For instance, if bone growth is obstructing your ear canal, you might require additional treatment. The results will also depend on how quickly you get treatment in the case of abrupt sensorineural hearing loss.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your physician is so important. The next step will most likely be a complete 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 watch out for 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. Give us a call today to set up a hearing assessment.