Smoking tied to increased risk of hearing loss in new study

Can smoking increase your risk of hearing loss?

A new report by Japan’s National Center for Global Health and Medicine says yes in the largest study of its kind. The large-scale study investigated more than 50,000 participants aged 20-64 over an eight-year period.

Participants in the study were tested annually to identify any decline in hearing as well as undergoing annual health check ups and completing questionnaires about lifestyle and habits.

Results indicated that after taking into account factors such as noise exposure at work, current smokers had a 1.2 increased risk of developing low-frequency hearing loss and a 1.6 increased risk of high-frequency hearing loss compared with never smokers.

The risk increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

The study is the strongest evidence to support that smoking is an independent risk factor of hearing loss, said the lead author Dr. Huanhuan Hu.

If you or a loved one has thinks they may be experiencing hearing loss, please contact Sound Hearing Care for an appointment today. With 4 convenient hearing treatment locations including Simpsonville, Greer, Travelers Rest, and Greenville, Sound Hearing Care is sure to have a convenient location near you or your loved one!