Cigarette smoking and hearing loss
March 11, 2012 4 Comments
There are already several compelling reasons to quit smoking, but here is another one. Latest research provides compelling evidence that cigarette smoking is associated with hearing loss (Cruickshank et al., 1998; Cruickshank et al., 2012).
As part of an ongoing population study called the Beaver Dam Study, researchers are looking at the relationship between smoking and hearing loss. The study has a sample size of 4,926 individuals between the ages of 48 to 92 years so far (Cruickshank et al., 2012). Over a period of 15 years, researchers periodically examined hearing sensitivity (audiogram and other measures of hearing), habits related to smoking, and history of noise exposure, in addition to other measures. Cessation of smoking or reduction in consumption was also recorded.
Statistical analyses revealed that over 15 years, the hazard ratio (risk of developing a hearing loss for smokers, relative to non-smokers) increases significantly from 1.19 to 1.36. Cigarette smoking contributed as much as 5% to the risk of developing hearing loss in older adults.
To put things in perspective, a 60-year old person who smokes has a 65% probability of developing a hearing loss. For someone the same age who does not smoke, this risk is lower (56.1%). Researchers have suggested that the effect of smoking on hearing may directly or indirectly have to do with inflammation and constriction of blood vessels.
Research is underway to further examine the mechanisms by which smoking affects hearing. The silver-lining is that the risk of developing a hearing loss was found to decrease substantially when participants stopped smoking. Risk continued to decrease with increasing duration of smoking cessation. It is never too late to quit smoking.
REFERENCES:
- Cruickshank, K., Nondahl, D., Dalton, D. et al. (March, 2012). Cigarette smoking increases the risk of hearing impairment. Podium presentation at the meeting of the American Auditory Society, Scottsdale, Arizona.
- Cruickshank, K., Klein, R., Klein, B.E.K. et al. (1998). Cigarette Smoking and Hearing Loss: The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study. Journal of the American Medical Association. 279, 1715-1719.
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About Vidya Krull
Vidya Krull
withyourcuppa 
An interesting post, thank you 🙂
The fact that risk of hearing loss appears to decrease again on cessation of smoking is particularly useful to know.
There are also strong associations between smoking and noise-induced hearing loss, and passive smoking and otitis media in children.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1740373/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11192887
Thank you for your comment. Thanks also for sharing the references on the associations between smoking and noise-induced hearing loss and the effect of passive smoking on ear infections in children. I was not aware of them.
The effect of passive smoking on otitis media is especially interesting. Not only are children whose parents smoke exposed to this risk, but 23.1% of children whose parents showed evidence of passive exposure. It is important that even non-smoking parents should be aware of the implications of this study, so they may advocate to provide a smoke-free environment for their children.
Compelling information, I will definitely share this when people ask what may have contributed to their hearing loss, or better yet what they can do to reduce the risk of developing hearing loss.
Thank you. I’m glad you found the information useful.