Call Us Today! 518-638-4363
Center For Better Hearing - Glens Falls, NY

Woman scratching at psoriasis not realizing it can lead to hearing loss.

When you think about psoriasis, you probably recall all those commercials depicted people with skin issues. Psoriasis impacts your overall health and not only your skin. Psoriasis is frequently misunderstood and minimized, due to a lack of knowledge of how psoriasis impacts sufferers as well as the serious conditions that can be related to this disorder. Psoriasis causes reactions throughout the whole body even though skin plaques are the most recognizable sign: The chance of metabolic disorders that are increased by persistent inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

New research strengthens the body of research connecting another serious problem to psoriasis: Hearing loss. Published in The Journal of Rheumatology, The link between mental health, hearing impairment, and psoriatic arthritis were looked at in this research. Psoriatic arthritis is a form of psoriasis where inflammation is concentrated near the joints, causing pain, difficulty with movement, and inflammation. Sufferers might also have psoriasis, but with psoriatic arthritis, it’s possible to have inflammation without also experiencing the common plaques.

With psoriatic arthritis, the body is basically attacking its own healthy tissue in the same way that it does with rheumatoid arthritis because they are all autoimmune diseases. But unlike rheumatoid arthritis, you might have psoriatic arthritis on only one knee due to the fact that it’s asymmetrical, and that besides joints, it commonly impacts sufferer’s nails (causing painfully swollen fingers and toes) and eyes.

Based on the findings of this recent study, swelling from psoriatic arthritis may also impact hearing. A large control group of people with neither psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis were compared to people who had one or the other condition. They discovered that loss of hearing was more likely to be documented by the group that had psoriasis, and audiometric testing backed up the self-reports. Even when other risk factors are considered, people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis were significantly more likely to suffer from hearing loss than either {psoriasis sufferers or the control group}.

But that’s not to say there’s no link between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and loss of hearing. A 2015 study discovered that there is a significantly higher danger, for people who have psoriasis, of developing sudden sensorineural loss of hearing, or sudden deafness. The capability to hear decreases significantly over three days or less with sudden sensoroneural hearing loss. It has various potential causes, but scientists believe that sudden psoriasis flare-ups may be responsible. The hearing may be affected if this takes place near or in the cochlea. This type of hearing loss, in certain situations, can be aided by treatments that relieve psoriasis., but hearing aids are often recommended when sudden deafness doesn’t react to other treatments.

It’s worthwhile to monitor your hearing if you suffer from psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Plan regular hearing exams along with your yearly health-care checkups. Disease related to inflammation can lead to inner ear injury, which can lead to loss of balance and psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are both also linked to depression and anxiety, both of which can be further aggravated by loss of hearing. Hearing loss is something you want to detect early because untreated loss of hearing can result in other health concerns such as dementia.

With early treatment, you can stay ahead of the symptoms by having your hearing checked regularly and cooperating with your doctor, awareness is crucial. Neither hearing loss nor psoriasis should cause you to sacrifice your standard of living, and having the correct team by your side can make a big difference.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
Why wait? You don't have to live with hearing loss. Call Us Today