How Smoking and Vaping Negatively Affects Your Hearing
While the two typical causes of hearing loss are loud noise injury and age, particular chemicals can harm the inner ear and other bodily processes involved in hearing. Cigarettes and vapes are a significant source of toxic substances. The hazards of smoking are well-documented, but investigation increasingly shows that vaping isn’t any better. In this article, we will examine the negative connections between cigarettes and vaping and how smoking affects your hearing health.
How Smoking Affects Your Hearing
Heart Health
Smoking negatively affects blood pressure, and the networks in the inner ear depend on an adequate flow of blood to function correctly. The inner ear has issues processing sound when blood pressure shifts. For pregnant women, restricting blood flow and oxygen supply can harm the baby. Too low of a supply of oxygen to the developing fetal inner ear could hamper its growth, potentially resulting in delayed development and subsequent speech-language impairments.
The Nervous System
The central nervous system continues to develop and grow well into adolescence. In childhood, the nervous system is vulnerable to the damaging effects of toxins, such as nicotine. In fact, studies have shown an increased incidence of hearing loss in adolescents and a 60% increase in ear infections among children and teens exposed to secondhand smoke. The chemicals in smoke irritate the eustachian tube, potentially leading to the development of ear infections and hearing impairments.
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are tiny messengers that send information between the cells inside your body. The presence of nicotine interferes with the body’s regulation of neurotransmitters, altering how they send sound information to the brain. Impaired auditory signals may hinder the interpretation of received sounds. Additionally, some researchers indicate that smoking could be a significant contributing factor to the development of tinnitus.
Vaping Isn’t Any Better
While hailed as a healthy alternative to smoking when they were first released, the truth is turning out to be very different. E-cigarettes not only contain an equivalent or higher amount of nicotine compared to traditional cigarettes, but many of their flavored additives remained unregulated by the FDA until recently. While stronger protections are now in place, manufacturers constantly look for loopholes and new ways to produce vape products that bypass federal oversight. We don’t always know what substances might be in vaping juices. They could be toxic and possibly carcinogenic.
Additionally, nicotine is one of the most addictive chemicals we know of, and current research indicates that vaping is not easier to quit than smoking cigarettes. What’s more alarming is that many e-cigarette users also smoke regular cigarettes. According to recent studies endorsed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, vaping and smoking both increase biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and other health issues, which means that using them concurrently can cause even more significant health risks than using just each product individually.
Never Too Late To Quit
Studies suggest that quitting smoking and vaping has a positive impact on hearing health. Although we understand that quitting smoking can be challenging, we have assembled some tips to help you succeed in quitting:
• Talk to your Doctor and find out if medical support is available.
• Improving your diet by including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and other whole foods can help with withdrawal.
• Disposing of cigarettes, vapes, ashtrays, and smoking/vaping accessories will help remove temptation.
• Set realistic goals, stay focused in the face of setbacks, and remember that struggling is perfectly normal and won’t hinder your long-term success.
Quitting smoking and vaping today will help to protect your hearing. We urge you to contact us today for a hearing assessment and to explore treatment options.