Smoking Linked to Increased Risk of Hearing Loss

A study in Japan revealed that current smokers are 70 percent more likely to develop high-frequency hearing loss than non-smokers. The study was published in the Nicotine & Tobacco Research journal and included more than 50,0000 participants between the ages of 20-64 who did not have hearing loss at the start of the study.

The participants had annual hearing tests over 8 years and results indicated that the number of cigarettes smoked per day increased the risk of high-frequency hearing loss:

Up to 10 cigarettes a day equated to a 40 percent increased risk.11-20 cigarettes a day equated to a 60 percent increased risk.More than 20 cigarettes a day equated to a 70 percent increased risk.

These results provide strong evidence to support that smoking is a factor in hearing loss and provides one more reason to quit!