A recent study by Amir Emamifar, Kristine Bjørndal and Inger Marie Jensen Hansen demonstrated that elderly patients and those that have lived with the disease for several years are more likely to develop a hearing impairment. Some of the environmental factors that can contribute are smoking, alcohol, and noise can worsen the condition. Even passive smokers are at risk for hearing impairment.
Treatment, such as oral steroids and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs can help, which is why your doctor should always run tests to make sure your hearing is o.k. Other things that you can consider is taking antioxidants with vitamin E, which can help protect your inner ear. If you suffer any of the above symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor immediately so that he can help you. Most times people will need an ear implant, but you won’t know until you get a correct diagnosis from your doctor.
