If you keep snoring, your hearing will get worse
Feb 19, 2025
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A research team led by Lee Jeon-mi, an otolaryngologist at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, compared and analyzed hearing by matching 90 sleep apnea patients with a normal control group 1:1 from 2014 to 2023.
As a result of the study, patients with sleep apnea tended to have worse hearing in all frequency bands (500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz) than in the normal control group. Hearing loss was particularly noticeable in high-frequency areas above 2 kHz.
In addition, hearing loss was more severe in the group with a long duration of apnea among sleep apnea patients. This means that not only does sleep apnea itself affect hearing, but the longer the apnea duration, the higher the risk of hearing loss.
◇Causes of hearing damage 'Hypoxia and oxidative stress'
When sleep apnea occurs, hypoxia, which decreases oxygen levels in the blood, can increase the likelihood of blood flow disorders in microvessels to the ear, the research team explained.
The cochlear (wow) requires a smooth supply of oxygen for normal auditory function, and continued lack of oxygen can also increase the risk of damage to auditory cells and auditory nerves. In addition, during repeated hypoxia and oxygen resupply, oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions can increase nerve function, and noise caused by severe snoring may also lead to continuous hearing damage.
Professor Lee Jeon-mi said, "Through this study, we have found that patients with sleep apnea have a higher risk of hearing loss, and that the longer the duration of apnea, the more severe the hearing damage is."Chronic hypoxia and blood flow disorders caused by sleep apnea can directly affect the auditory nerve and cochlear tract.", he explained.
◇Sleeping on the side helps prevent airway obstruction
To prevent hearing loss due to sleep apnea, it is important to reduce apnea symptoms and maintain smooth blood flow and oxygen supply. First of all, positive pressure (CPAP) treatment is effective in preventing oxygen shortages and reducing the risk of hearing loss by opening the airways.
Weight loss, regular exercise, smoking cessation and abstinence can alleviate apnea symptoms. Maintaining a side-sleeping posture helps prevent airway obstruction, and if necessary, intraoral devices or surgical treatments may be considered.
Professor Lee Jeon-mi said, "Sleep apnea treatment can play an important role in protecting hearing in the long run, not just improving sleep quality"First of all, it is important to diagnose and actively treat sleep apnea early to prevent hearing loss."
The findings were published in the latest issue of the U.S. international journal PLOS ONE.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
