Audio Life Hearing Center- Knoxville, TN

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

The word psoriasis normally conjures up recollections of people with skin issues like the people on all those advertisements. Psoriasis impacts your overall health and not only your skin. Psoriasis is commonly 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 responses through the whole body although skin plaques are the most familiar symptom: The chance of metabolic disorders that are increased by chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Psoriasis is also linked to another problem according to a different recent study: Hearing loss. Published in The Journal of Rheumatology, this study looked at links between psoriatic arthritis, mental health, and hearing impairment. Psoriatic arthritis has an impact on the joints, and is a form of psoriasis, causing swelling, difficulty with movement, and soreness. The normal plaques might not be experienced by people who have psoriatic arthritis.

Like rheumatoid arthritis (and similar to psoriasis), psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease, the sufferer’s body is essentially attacking its own healthy tissue. But unlike rheumatoid arthritis, you could have psoriatic arthritis on only one knee due to the fact that it’s asymmetrical, and that besides joints, it frequently targets sufferer’s nails (bringing about painfully swollen fingers and toes) and eyes.

Based on the findings of this recent study, swelling from psoriatic arthritis might also affect hearing. The study contrasted the self-reported hearing loss of individuals who suffer from psoriatic arthritis, people who have psoriasis but not psoriatic arthritis, and a big control group of people who had neither condition. They found that hearing loss was more likely to be reported by the group that had psoriasis, and those reports were backed by audiometric screening. Even when controlling for other risk factors, people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis were significantly more prone to have loss of hearing than either {psoriasis sufferers or the control group}.

But there is an evident link between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and hearing loss. A 2015 study found that there is a significantly higher risk, for people who have psoriasis, of developing sudden sensorineural loss of hearing, also known as sudden deafness. The ability to hear decreases notably over three days or less with sudden sensoroneural hearing loss. There are various possible causes for this, but experts think that sudden psoriasis flare-ups may be responsible. If this occurs in or around the cochlea, it could impair hearing. This form of hearing loss, in some instances, can be aided by treatments that relieve psoriasis., but hearing aids are often recommended when sudden deafness does not respond to other treatments.

If you have psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis, it’s important to monitor your hearing. Plan your annual healthcare appointment along with normal hearing exams. Disease caused by inflammation can lead to inner ear harm, which can result in hearing loss as well as troubles with balance. There are also links between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, depression and anxiety, both of which can be further exacerbated by hearing loss. Loss of hearing is something you want to catch early because untreated hearing loss can result in other health troubles such as dementia.

With early treatment, you can stay ahead of the symptoms by getting your hearing examined periodically and working with your doctor, knowledge is crucial. You shouldn’t need to compromise your standard of living for psoriasis or for hearing loss, and all the difference is having the right team on your side.

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 or Text Us