It’s an awesome and incredible experience, having a baby. But it can also be kind of… uncomfortable, at least sometimes, and at least when it involves how it can make you feel. There are all sorts of weird side effects, including morning sickness, health challenges, 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 there’s another potential small drawback to add to the list: hearing loss.
Pregnancy isn’t typically the first thing you think of when somebody is talking about hearing loss. But pregnancy-related hearing loss is actually more common than most people may think. This means that these symptoms are worth watching out for. Pregnancy-related 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 attention. Is hearing loss during pregnancy irreversible? Well, the answer kind of depends on the root cause, and how rapidly you address it.
What are the symptoms of pregnancy-induced 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 much more cinematic. This means that, generally speaking, people may be less likely to expect 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 turning the volume up on your television. The most prevalent symptoms include the following:
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is frequently associated with tinnitus, or a ringing or buzzing in the ears. In some cases, this tinnitus may even sound like or take on the rhythm of your own heartbeat (this is called pulsatile tinnitus). You should speak with your doctor about your tinnitus, whether hearing loss is also present or not.
- Headaches and migraines: You might also have an increase in the number of headaches or migraines you have regularly.
- Dizziness and imbalance: The inner ear can be impacted by pregnancy-induced hearing loss, or sometimes 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 a problem with your inner ear. And that also goes for pregnancy-induced hearing loss.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this indication of hearing loss is the most evident. But if it occurs abruptly, it’s something called “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any type of abrupt hearing loss during pregnancy should be conveyed to your healthcare team as soon as possible. You might need emergency treatment to prevent the sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible.
- A plugged feeling in your ears: Pregnancy-related hearing loss could in some cases be accompanied by a feeling of being plugged or fullness in your ears.
None of these symptoms are inevitably universal. You will probably experience some symptoms and not others depending on the root cause of your pregnancy-induced hearing loss. In any event, if you experience hearing loss or any of the associated symptoms while you are pregnant, it’s generally a good idea to talk to your doctor. That’s because these symptoms can sometimes be a sign of some rare but larger issues.
What causes pregnancy-related hearing loss?
Does being pregnant affect hearing? Well, perhaps, in some cases. But other parts of your body are affected by pregnancy and those parts of your body can then impact your hearing.
So, what are the possible causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss? Well, the causes vary… but some of the most prevalent include:
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, typical things like obstructions, sinus infections, and ear infections can trigger hearing loss.
- 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. One of those impacts can in some cases be hearing loss in the woman who is pregnant.
- High blood pressure: When you are pregnant, high blood pressure can trigger tinnitus and hearing loss. So telling your doctor about your hearing loss symptoms is really important. Serious conditions, including preeclampsia, can cause high blood pressure. These are issues that should be tracked carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Hormone and circulatory changes: Your body is doing an exceptional amount of work when you become pregnant. Your hormones and circulatory system are experiencing lots of changes, as a result.
- Bone growth: There’s a rare affliction known as 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. Pregnancy induces hormonal changes and other body changes that can cause this type of bone growth. Otoscerlosis research is still a continuing process, and scientists are still figuring out just how much it affects hearing.
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 regular communication with your doctor.
How do you treat this kind of hearing loss?
The root cause of this kind of hearing loss will generally determine the course of treatment. Will my hearing go back to normal? This is the most prevalent question individuals will have. Once your pregnancy has ended, your hearing should go back to normal, or possibly even sooner.
However, this is not always the default, so it’s essential to be aggressive when you detect symptoms. For instance, if bone growth is blocking your ear canal, you could require additional treatment. The outcome will also depend on how fast you get treatment in the case of abrupt sensorineural hearing loss.
That’s why it’s so important to be certain that you report these symptoms to your provider. You may then go through a complete hearing screening or evaluation to help figure out your symptoms (or at least rule out any of the more severe possible impacts).
Protect your hearing
Safeguarding your hearing is something you need to 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 set up a hearing evaluation.