Every 31 May is World No Tobacco Day, a date that invites us to reflect on how smoking affects our health. As a hearing care specialist, I’m often asked about the effects of tobacco on hearing health. While it’s well known that smoking harms the lungs and heart, its impact on hearing is less widely known, but just as significant. In this article, we’ll look at how smoking can affect your hearing and what steps you can take to protect it.
Can tobacco really affect your hearing?
Yes. Even if you don’t notice it right away, smoking has a direct impact on hearing health. The toxic substances in tobacco, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide, damage the body’s microcirculation, including the blood vessels that supply the inner ear.
Hearing depends on a very delicate system: the hair cells found in the cochlea (a part of the inner ear), responsible for translating sound waves into electrical signals the brain can interpret. When these cells don’t get enough oxygen or nutrients because of poor blood flow, they can deteriorate or die — and the worst part is they don’t regenerate.
Which part of the ear is most affected?
Although smoking can affect the whole hearing system generally, the inner ear is the most vulnerable. This damage doesn’t cause immediate pain, which is why many people don’t notice until they’ve already lost some of their hearing.
The middle ear can also be affected. Smoking weakens the immune system, which increases the risk of infections, especially ear infections. This effect is clearly seen in second-hand smokers, especially children, who have more frequent ear infections when exposed to smoke.
What does the research say?
According to various studies, smokers are 70% more likely to suffer hearing loss compared to non-smokers. This risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of years of smoking.
These studies highlight that tobacco damages the blood supply to the inner ear, hindering the function of the cells responsible for hearing, and also warn that second-hand smokers face a higher risk of hearing damage, especially with constant exposure to smoke.
What about e-cigarettes?
Many people think vaping is a safer alternative. The reality is that, even without combustion, the liquids used in e-cigarettes also contain nicotine and other chemicals that negatively affect hearing health.
There isn’t enough long-term research yet, but the evidence suggests that the vasoconstrictive and neurotoxic effects are still present, meaning the risk of hearing loss remains.
What symptoms should alert you?
Hearing loss related to tobacco tends to be gradual and silent. It doesn’t happen overnight. But there are signs worth paying attention to:
- You need to turn the TV volume up higher.
- You struggle to understand people in noisy environments.
- You find it hard to follow phone conversations.
- You experience ringing or buzzing in your ears (tinnitus).
- You feel isolated or avoid group conversations.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, I’d recommend booking a hearing check-up.
What if I’ve already smoked for years?
I know: it’s often hard to change such an ingrained habit. But it’s never too late. Although we can’t recover damaged cells, quitting smoking can slow down further deterioration, improve blood flow, and increase the effectiveness of hearing treatments, such as hearing aids.
What’s more, if you wear hearing aids, quitting smoking also improves the skin of the ear canal, helping with a better, more comfortable fit for the device.
What about children exposed to smoke?
This point is especially sensitive. Tobacco smoke significantly increases the risk of middle ear infections in children. This not only causes pain and fever, it can also affect their language development if not caught in time.
Protecting little ones from smoke is a direct way of looking after their hearing from an early age.
What can you do to protect your hearing?
As a professional, here are some practical recommendations you can apply from today:
- If you smoke, take the step to quit. There are many resources and support services that can help.
- Avoid smoking in enclosed spaces around other people, especially children.
- Get a hearing check-up at least once a year, especially if you have a history or symptoms.
- Don’t ignore ringing in your ears. It can be the first sign of hearing damage.
- If you work in noisy environments, use hearing protection. The combined effect of noise and tobacco speeds up hearing loss.
What do I do as a hearing care specialist when a smoker comes to see me?
In clinic, my first step is to listen. I ask about habits and symptoms and carry out a complete assessment of hearing health, including tests like otoscopy and a hearing test.
With patients who smoke, I pay particular attention to signs of conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. If hearing loss is confirmed, I explain the available options and assess whether hearing aids are needed or whether preventive follow-up is enough.
Smoking doesn’t just affect your lungs or heart. It also damages your ears, even if you don’t notice it at first. Tobacco-related hearing loss is gradual, silent, and often irreversible.
The good news is you can act. Quitting smoking is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, and not just to breathe better: it also helps you keep hearing well for longer.
If you’ve smoked, currently smoke, or are thinking about quitting, I’d encourage you to get a hearing check-up. There’s still time to catch any changes. Because hearing health is health too.
If you live in Valencia, at our hearing centre on Calle Juan Llorens 7 we can assess your hearing and give you the best recommendations to look after it. You can call us on 960 659 592 or message us on WhatsApp at 621 00 16 93
