Smokers ‘at greater risk of experiencing hearing loss’

People who smoke are at a greater risk of experiencing hearing loss, according to a new study from Japan.

Data from more than 50,000 participants collated over eight years was analysed for this research, which looked at information from annual health checkups to examine the effects of smoking status on degrees of hearing loss.

Even after adjusting for factors such as occupational noise exposure, current smokers were found to be between 1.2 and 1.6 times more likely to experience hearing loss than those who had never smoked.

A greater association was seen between smoking and high-frequency hearing loss than was the case with low-frequency hearing loss, but the risk of both increased according to cigarette consumption. It was also shown that this risk decreased within five years of quitting smoking.

Study leader Dr Huanhuan Hu, of Japan's National Centre for Global Health and Medicine, said: "These results provide strong evidence to support that smoking is a causal factor for hearing loss and emphasise the need for tobacco control to prevent or delay the development of hearing loss."

With over 20 years of experience within the science market, we at Zenopa have the knowledge, skills and expertise to help find the right job for you. To find out more about the current science roles we have available, you can search for the latest job roles, register your details, or contact the team today.