Were you aware that your chance of developing age-related hearing loss can be increased if you have high blood pressure?
Age-related hearing loss normally starts to manifest in your 40s, 50s, or 60s. You most likely won’t even notice your progressing hearing loss even though it’s an irreversible condition. Years of noise damage is typically the cause. So how is hearing loss caused by hypertension? The blood vessels in your ears and your blood vessels in general can be damaged by high blood pressure.
Blood pressure and why it’s so significant
Blood pressure is a measure of how rapidly blood moves through your circulatory system. High blood pressure means that this blood moves more quickly than normal. Damage to your blood vessels can occur over time as a result. These damaged vessels become less elastic and more prone to blockages. A blockage can result in a stroke or other cardiovascular problems. That’s one of the reasons why healthcare professionals often pay close attention to your blood pressure.
What constitutes high blood pressure?
Here are the basic ratings for high blood pressure:
- Normal: 120/8o
- Stage 1 Hypertension: 130-139/80-89
- Stage 2 Hypertension: 140 or Higher/90 or higher
When your blood pressure gets as high as 180/120, it’s considered a hypertensive crisis. Immediate management is needed when this occurs.
How does hypertension cause hearing loss?
The blood vessels in your ear and your entire body can be damaged by hypertension. Typically, the nerves in your ear will also be damaged along with these blood vessels. The tiny hairs in your ears responsible for picking up vibrations, called stereocilia, can also be adversely impacted by high blood pressure. These stereocilia aren’t capable of self-regeneration, so any damage they incur is permanent.
So regardless of the specific cause, permanent hearing loss can be the result of any damage. Research indicates that individuals who have healthy blood pressure readings tend to have a far lower prevalence of hearing loss. People who have hearing loss are more likely to have higher blood pressure. The impacts of hearing loss, in other words, can be reduced by keeping blood pressure under control.
What does high blood pressure feel like in your ears?
In most cases, high blood pressure is a symptomless condition. High blood pressure doesn’t cause “hot ears”. What are hot ears? It’s a symptom in which your ears feel warm and grow red. Typically, it’s an indication of changes in blood flow related to emotions, hormones, and other non-blood pressure-related problems.
High blood pressure can sometimes worsen symptoms of tinnitus. But if your tinnitus was a result of high blood pressure, how could you tell? It’s impossible to tell for sure without talking to a doctor or hearing specialist. Tinnitus is generally not a symptom of high blood pressure. There’s a reason that high blood pressure is often referred to as “the silent killer”.
Usually, it’s not until you get your vitals taken at your annual exam that high blood pressure is detected. This is one good reason to be certain that you go to your yearly appointments.
How can you lower your blood pressure?
High blood pressure is usually a result of a confluence of numerous different factors. Consequently, you may have to take numerous different steps and use a variety of methods to successfully lower your blood pressure. In general, you should work with your primary care doctor to lower your blood pressure. That management may look like the following:
- Take medication as prescribed: In some cases, no amount of diet and exercise can prevent or effectively manage high blood pressure. Although diet and exercise can be helpful, there are some situations where it will be necessary to take blood pressure medication as prescribed to control hypertension.
- Avoid sodium: Keep your eye on the amount of sodium in your food, particularly processed foods. Find lower sodium alternatives when possible (or stay away from processed foods when possible).
- Diet changes: Eating a Mediterranean diet can help you lower blood pressure. Eat more fruits and veggies and avoid things like red meat.
- Get more exercise: Getting regular exercise (or simply moving around on a regular basis) can help lower your overall blood pressure.
A treatment plan to manage your blood pressure can be formulated by your primary care doctor. Can you reverse any hearing loss brought on by high blood pressure? In some cases the answer is yes and in others not so much. There is some evidence to suggest that lowering your blood pressure can help restore your hearing, at least partially. But at least some of the damage will likely be irreversible.
Your hearing will have a better possibility of recovering if you treat your blood pressure quickly.
How to safeguard your hearing
You can safeguard your hearing in other ways besides reducing your blood pressure. This could include:
- Wear hearing protection: You can protect your hearing by utilizing earplugs, earmuffs, or noise canceling headphones.
- Talk to us: Getting your hearing tested regularly can help you preserve your hearing and detect any hearing loss early.
- Avoiding loud venues and events: Try to steer clear of overly loud noises when you can, as these noises can cause damage to your ears. If you absolutely need to be in an environment with overly loud noise, at least minimize your exposure time.
We can help you protect your hearing into the future, so book an appointment right away.