Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hearing Loss

In 2006, the Arthritis Foundation found a link between Rheumatoid arthritis and hearing loss. It published an article stating that patients experiencing rheumatoid arthritis are at a higher risk of experiencing varying forms of hearing problems, hearing loss and autoimmune inner ear disease. However, since the Foundation found this connection in 2006, several studies have elaborated further on the link between rheumatoid arthritis and hearing loss. This article will give you insight into the study findings on the link between Rheumatoid Arthritis and hearing loss.

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many joints, especially the feet and hands. The immune system of a patient experiencing RA is unique. Usually, the immune system protects the body against foreign elements that may be detrimental to your health. For patients with RA, their immune system attacks healthy bodily tissue. This affects the joints lining and causes swelling and pain. RA is genetic; therefore, your genes could be a cause of the disease. Hormones and smoking are also possible risk factors for RA. Although there is no cure for RA, physiotherapy and medication can slow down the disease’s progression rate. 

What Is Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss is a partial or complete loss of hearing in one or both ears. This usually happens as a result of the severe inner ear or nerve damage. Generally, aging and exposure to loud noise for an extended period are the cause of this phenomenon. However, factors such as medication, certain diseases, excessive earwax and genetics may also cause hearing loss. These factors cause wear and tear on the cochlea’s tiny hairs or nerve cells that send sound signals to the brain. When these nerve cells are damaged, these signals cannot be transmitted through the ear and therefore cause hearing loss. Fortunately, people experiencing hearing loss can use different hearing aids to help them hear and process the various sounds around them.

The Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hearing Loss

As you can see, RA and hearing loss are two completely different health issues. So, how could there be a link between the two? According to available research, there are two possible ways RA causes hearing loss in its patients: the medication prescribed and the disease itself. In 2010 and 2012, researchers noted in the American Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Epidemiology that the high doses of aspirin and other salicylates prescribed to RA patients might cause hearing loss.

The researchers believed that pain-relief aspirin and acetaminophen could reduce the flow of blood to the cochlea. Acetaminophen also can restrict the production of a protein known as glutathione, which is responsible for protecting the cochlea. The studies showed that the pain-relief was not the only cause of hearing loss. There are other medications RA patients and arthritis patients must take that may also have the same effects. These include streptomycin, neomycin, carboplatin or bleomycin and loop diuretics such as furosemide. 

Another factor researchers believe RA may cause hearing loss is the nature of the disease itself. As mentioned above, RA causes inflammation. According to research, the inflammation may also take place in the ear cartilage. This may cause autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED). This disease causes the immune system to attack the cochlea and other parts of the inner ear. This could most likely cause hearing loss. While the attack is ongoing, patients experience frequent dizziness and a loud ringing in the ear. Tinnitus is characterized by a ringing, clicking or whistling sound that tends to play in your ear on a temporary or permanent basis.

According to researchers, sensorineural hearing loss in the form of hearing loss RA patients may experience. In conductive hearing loss, the sound cannot move from the external ear to the middle and inner ear. On the other hand, sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the tiny hairs in the inner ear are damaged or the nerve pathways that carry sound ear brain have been compromised. Although there is no cure for hearing loss, RA patients can rely on hearing aids to process the sounds around them.

It is vital to contact your audiologist if you experience any of the above symptoms or suspect that your ear health has been compromised. 

For more information on the link between Rheumatoid Arthritis and hearing loss or any concerns about your hearing health, visit GL Wyeno Hearing Specialists PC or call us on (402) 463-2431.