If you suspect (or have already been diagnosed) with a condition related to your thyroid gland, you may be wondering: can thyroid problems impact your hearing?
The answer is yes. Thyroid diseases have been linked to hearing loss.
The thyroid produces hormones that affect our health in a variety of ways, and when the thyroid isn’t working properly, it can cause all kinds of problems, ranging from low energy levels to bad digestion to hearing loss.
Is Thyroid Disease Common?
According to the American Thyroid Association, more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime.
The signs and symptoms of thyroid conditions are so varied, the ATA estimates that 60% of sufferers don’t even know they have a thyroid problem.
The causes of thyroid problems are mostly unknown, but there are risk factors for developing some thyroid conditions, like sex, age, heredity, and suffering from other autoimmune diseases.
How Do Thyroid Diseases Lead to Hearing Loss?
While specific thyroid diseases like Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Pendred Syndrome, and Graves’ Disease have been linked to hearing loss and tinnitus, there is, unfortunately, not a clear and set-in-stone reason why these conditions lead to problems with your hearing health.
It has been conjectured that an undersupply of oxygen and/or nutrition to the tiny hairs in the inner ears – caused by hypothyroidism – may be to blame in some cases, but the link between hearing loss and thyroid disease is an issue that is still being studied.
What Are the Signs of Thyroid Disease?
As mentioned above, thyroid disease can be difficult to pinpoint since symptoms vary widely and can be confused with other health problems.
However, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may want to get checked out by your physician:
- Fatigue
- Digestion issues
- Changes in appetite
- Mental fogginess or trouble with memory
- Increased sensitivity to either hot or cold temperatures
- Muscle weakness/aching
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Changes in mood, such as irritability or nervousness
If you’ve already been diagnosed with thyroid disease, whether your thyroid is overactive or underactive, it would be a good idea to schedule hearing exams alongside your other checkups.
With a healthcare professional monitoring your hearing and thyroid function, you are more likely to catch hearing loss early, which means you can get help more quickly.
Unfortunately, hearing loss can lead to depression, social isolation, and other issues. However, hearing aids have been shown to improve quality of life for those with hearing loss, and if you already suffer from hearing loss, hearing aids may help you to hear more clearly again.
Too often those suffering from hearing loss put off getting a hearing aid--sometimes because they are in denial about their hearing problems, sometimes for more practical reasons, like the cost of hearing devices. Sadly, that only delays the potential happiness and well-being that a hearing aid could offer.
With hearing aids readily available at affordable prices, there’s no reason to wait!
Contact Advanced Affordable Hearing at 1 (800) 804-0434. We have hearing aids for a variety of hearing loss levels and lifestyles, and we can help you choose the hearing aid that is right for you.