The Hidden Cost of Cocktails: How Alcohol Can Hurt Your Hearing

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a holiday cocktail at The Pour House, there’s no denying that too much alcohol is hazardous to your health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you consume no more than one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men.

Health Risks of Too Much Alcohol

Excessive drinking is linked to a variety of different health conditions including:

• High blood pressure
• Liver disease
• Cancer
• Memory problems
• Increased risk of depression and anxiety
• Alcohol dependency
• Weakened immune system

 Alcohol and Hearing Loss

Alcohol also increases your risk of hearing loss. As mentioned above, excessive alcohol consumption puts you at a higher risk of vascular conditions like heart disease, which can damage the hair cells of the inner ear and cause hearing loss.

Additionally, a study of 30 young adults found that alcohol led to temporary problems hearing lower-frequency sounds. While the participants’ hearing returned to normal once they were sober, researchers suggest that it may be possible that frequent alcohol-induced hearing loss could lead to more permanent damage down the road.

Heavy consumption of alcohol can also lead to issues like dizziness and tinnitus. This happens because alcohol is absorbed into and changes the volume of fluid in your inner ear. It can stay present in your inner ear even after it is no longer present in your blood or brain and is why you might feel dizzy or unsteady after a night of too much drinking.

How to Protect Your Hearing Health

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so moderately. Always check with your doctor to see if it is safe for you to consume alcohol if you have certain pre-existing conditions or are on any medications.

You can also protect your hearing health by being proactive and scheduling a hearing test. Hearing loss is gradual and often can occur for years before you realize it is a problem. Getting a hearing test offers you an easy, painless and quick way to determine if you have hearing loss, and to what degree.

If you do have hearing loss your audiologist can walk you through the next steps like hearing aid selection and fitting. They will help you determine the most effective treatment that fits your lifestyle and meets your hearing needs.

If you have more questions about hearing loss or wish to schedule an appointment with an expert, call Pinnacle ENT Associates today.