It’s an awesome and incredible experience, having a child. But it can also be sort of… unpleasant, at least sometimes, and at least in terms of how it can make you feel. There are all kinds of peculiar side effects, including morning sickness, health hazards, and changes to your body. Getting there can be somewhat of a process, but that doesn’t take anything away from the joy of being a parent.
And now there’s another potential little disadvantage to add to the list: hearing loss.
Most people don’t instantly connect hearing loss with pregnancy. But pregnancy-related hearing loss is actually more common than most individuals may presume. It’s not a bad idea to watch out for these symptoms. Pregnancy-associated hearing loss isn’t something you should be concerned about in most cases. In other cases, the cause is a serious concern and could require immediate medical attention. Will pregnancy-related hearing loss go away? Well, it could be, depending on how quickly you address it and what the underlying cause is.
Pregnancy-related hearing loss symptoms
Hearing loss during pregnancy doesn’t show up on a lot of sitcoms or in many romantic comedies. Things like morning sickness are much more cinematic. This means that, generally, individuals 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 are about more than turning up the volume on your television. The most prevalent symptoms include the following:
- You feel a fullness in your ears: Pregnancy-related hearing loss could sometimes be accompanied by a feeling of stuffiness or fullness in your ears.
- Dizziness and imbalance: The inner ear can be impacted by pregnancy-induced hearing loss, or sometimes a pre-existing problem with the inner ear can be the source of that hearing loss. Whenever your inner ear is not working properly, you might experience issues with balance and dizziness with your hearing loss. And that also goes for pregnancy-induced hearing loss.
- Headaches and migraines: Regular headaches and migraines can also be more consistent.
- Tinnitus: Pregnancy-related hearing loss is often associated with tinnitus, or a ringing or buzzing in the ears. The rhythm and sound of your tinnitus symptoms can, in some circumstances, sound like your own heartbeat which is called “pulsatile tinnitus”. You should speak with your doctor about your tinnitus, whether hearing loss is also present or not.
- Everything seems quieter: Of course, this indication of hearing loss is the most evident. But if it occurs all of a sudden, it’s something known as “sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. Any type of sudden hearing loss during pregnancy should be conveyed to your healthcare team as soon as possible. You might need emergency treatment to stop the sudden hearing loss from becoming irreversible.
These aren’t universal symptoms. You will most likely experience some symptoms and not others depending on the underlying cause of your pregnancy-induced hearing loss. Either way, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if experience any of these hearing loss symptoms. Because these symptoms might be an indication of a more serious concern.
The causes of pregnancy-induced hearing loss
Is hearing affected by pregnancy? Well, possibly, sometimes. But being pregnant might also impact other parts of your body that will then go on to impact your hearing.
So, what are the potential causes of pregnancy-related hearing loss? Well, the causes differ… but some of the most common include:
- Some of the typical things: Whether you’re pregnant or not, typical things like blockages, sinus infections, and ear infections can cause hearing loss.
- An iron deficiency: An iron deficiency while you’re pregnant can have a wide variety of repercussions for your health and your baby’s health. Hearing loss can sometimes be one of those effects for the pregnant person.
- High blood pressure: When you’re pregnant, high blood pressure can trigger tinnitus and hearing loss. So telling your doctor about your hearing loss symptoms is really important. High blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and other serious ailments. These are issues that should be tracked carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Bone growth: There’s a rare condition called otosclerosis where the tiny bones in your ear begin growing more rapidly, and this accelerated growth prevents sound from passing through your ears. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes and other body changes that can lead to this type of bone growth. It should be noted that research into otosclerosis during pregnancy, and exactly how much it impacts hearing, is ongoing.
- Hormone and circulatory changes: When you become pregnant, your body is doing an extreme amount of work. Your hormones and circulatory system are going through lots of changes, as an outcome.
In some cases, the cause of your hearing loss could be hard to identify. The essential thing will be to be mindful of your symptoms and be in frequent communication with your provider.
How do you manage this type of hearing loss?
Treatment of this kind of hearing loss will likely depend on the root cause. The question that most individuals have is: will my hearing loss clear up? Once your pregnancy has ended, your hearing should return to normal, or possibly even sooner.
However, this isn’t 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. Likewise, if you suffer from sudden sensorineural hearing loss, the outcome will depend on how quickly you receive treatment.
For this reason, reporting any symptoms to your physician is so important. The next step will most likely be a thorough hearing assessment to eliminate any more severe conditions and try to diagnose the underlying cause.
Protect your hearing
Even when you’re pregnant, while you’re juggling so many other things, it’s important to make sure you pay attention to and safeguard your hearing. 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 evaluation.
