Is There a Link Between Arthritis, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus?

Woman getting a hearing text; link between arthritis, hearing loss and tinnitus concept

According to Arthritis.org, people with arthritis can experience hearing loss and tinnitus for two reasons: due to the arthritis itself and due to the high levels of aspirin and other medications they take.

In addition to reducing blood flow to the inner ear, acetaminophen may reduce a protein that protects the inner ear from damage. Sometimes, lowering the amount or frequency of your arthritis medications, or even changing to another medication entirely, can reverse hearing loss.

Other "medications known to cause tinnitus include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and certain antibiotics, cancer drugs, water pills (diuretics), antimalarial drugs and antidepressants," according to Mayo Clinic.

It's not just the meds, though. Older people who've had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for years may experience tinnitus too, say rheumatologist Judith Frank. That's because the inflammation associated with RA can damage the tiny joints in the ear (in addition to the problems caused by the medications themselves).

In fact, any autoimmune disease can be linked to hearing loss and tinnitus, not just rheumatoid arthritis, but those like lupus, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. What's tricky about pinpointing the cause of your tinnitus to an autoimmune disease is that those disorders can go into remission after a flare up that caused the hearing problem.

One study shows that "sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common type of hearing impairment in RA patients ranging from 25% to 72%." SNHL is hearing loss caused by damage to the hair cells within the cochlea or inner ear, and approximately 70% of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss experience tinnitus.

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