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The health risks of smoking and drinking are commonly known. But people tend to be less aware of the impact smoking and drinking has on hearing health. Research has shown that smoking and drinking actually increases the risk of developing hearing loss. One of the most common chronic medical conditions, hearing loss is effects 1 in 8 people (over 40 million in the U.S.). Learning about hearing health and ways smoking and drinking can be harmful is important and necessary to reduce your risk!
Link Between Smoking, Drinking, & Hearing Loss
Several studies have investigated the link between smoking, drinking, and hearing loss. Two recent studies that highlight the increased risk of hearing loss caused by smoking and drinking are:
- 2018 study published in Science Daily
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- Study: researchers in Japan investigated the impact of smoking on hearing by studying a group of people for 8 years. The study included 50,000 workers, ages 20 to 64, who did not have hearing loss at the onset of the study. Participants were smokers, nonsmokers, and former smokers. During the duration of study, 5,100 participants developed hearing loss. Researchers analyzed data from annual health screenings, hearing tests, and responses to questionnaires on smoking behavior.
- Findings: the people who smoked were:
- 60% more likely to develop high frequency hearing loss
- 20% more likely to develop low frequency hearing loss
Additionally, researchers found that the greater the number of cigarettes smoked, the more the risk of hearing loss increased.
- 2019 study published in Journal of Audiology & Otology
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- Study: researchers in South Korea investigated the impact of drinking on hearing by analyzing data provided by a national survey. The survey included 3,860 participants, ages 20 and older who had their hearing tested and completed a questionnaire on drinking behavior.
- Findings: Compared to the participants who identified their drinking level as appropriate, people who reported hazardous drinking were 2.5 times more likely to have hearing loss.
These studies are among several which establish smoking and drinking as risk factors for hearing loss.
Impact of Smoking & Drinking on Hearing
You may be wondering how to make sense of this correlation. The auditory system, how we hear, involves the ears and brain which work together to absorb, amplify, and process sound. This requires healthy blood circulation, cells, bones, vessels, and oxygen which facilitate the effective functioning of the integral parts – outer, middle, inner ear, auditory pathways, auditory cortex etc. This can be disrupted by the ingredients found in cigarettes and alcohol.
- Smoking:
- Prominent ingredients, nicotine and carbon monoxide, have numerous effects that can cause hearing loss including:
- Reducing oxygen levels and constricting blood vessels in the body, including in the inner ear which help maintain the health of hair cells. These hair cells translate soundwaves into electrical signals that are sent to the brain for processing.
- Damage the neurotransmitters in the auditory pathways that carry sound information to your brain to process.
- Drinking:
- Alcohol can damage the auditory cortex; excessive drinking can cause it to shrink, impacting its ability to be effective. The auditory cortex is the part of the brain that receives and processes sound. It gives the sound we hear meaning which enables us to understand what we hear.
- Alcohol can also damage the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells, as previously described, help the brain process sound. Unlike other types of cells, they do not regenerate, meaning that damage is permanent.
Smoking and drinking, particularly done excessively, can be harmful to hearing. Because these are behavioral patterns, they can be addressed and modified to reduce your risk of developing hearing loss!
Protect Your Hearing Health
Two simple ways you can protect your hearing health are:
- Reduce Consumption: eliminate or consume less alcohol and cigarettes which reduce your risk of developing hearing loss.
- Have Your Hearing Tested: incorporating hearing tests in your yearly health screening is a really useful way to stay up to day on your hearing needs. This can also identify any impairment early which can significantly help you transition into better hearing and quality of life easier!