Can Stress Affect Hearing? Yes!
When daily stress builds up day after day, your body responds with an overproduction of adrenaline. This affects blood flow to all parts of your body, including your ears – impacting your hearing.
The fragile hair cells in the inner ear rely on a constant flow of blood to receive the right amount of oxygen and nutrients to survive. When this supply is impacted, the hair cells die off and cannot respond to sound.
Stress impacts hearing primarily because it affects the tiny sensory hair cells of the inner ear. These are responsible for sending the sound signals to your brain to interpret it into something that you recognize and understand. Good circulation is vital to perform this task.
Hypertension (or high blood pressure) often occurs due to stress and can severely impact hearing function. When your blood pressure is high, your blood vessels are damaged throughout your entire body. The tiny vessel in your ear is especially vulnerable to damage.
Manage your stress.
To manage stress, there are a few things you can do to relax. Stress isn’t good for our physical or mental health. Managing stress can prevent hearing damage as well as other issues over time. Here are a few things you can do to bring down the stress and anxiety levels:
- Exercise
- Breathing exercises
- Relax with a friend
- Humming or singing a familiar tune
What will you do to prevent stress-related hearing loss?
We are trained to keep your hearing healthy! Follow our plan and you’ll be on the road to hearing wellness for 2023 and beyond!
Hearing wellness has a ripple effect on your life and relationships! Make hearing a priority and you will see improved relationships and less stress.
Dr. Anita Carroll is a licensed Audiologist and owner of Hearing Solutions in the Triangle, PLLC with over 25 years of experience. Need some wellness tips – she can be contacted here. If you’re looking to test hearing or improve listening skills visit our online scheduling here.
