Using hormone therapy in late menopause heightens hearing loss risk

This post originally appeared on Starkey.com

It goes without saying that aging brings change to the body—and a lot of it. For women, one of the noticeable shifts can happen in menopause. Menopause is the natural physical process that signals the end of women’s menstrual cycles and halt in the production of estrogen and progesterone. The average age of menopause is 51 in US women, but it can also begin in her 40s or 50s.

Women in menopause commonly experience physical and emotional symptoms that can impact sleep, energy levels, and emotional health.

And much like the normal human aging process—in which the body becomes more susceptible to ailments like hypertension and impact to memory and thinking—menopause places women at an increased risk for certain medical conditions. These include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and weight gain.

But a higher risk for hearing loss, too? The answer is yes, as today’s hearing fact reveals—but there are a couple of contributing factors, too, according to recent research.

Study examines link between menopause, hormone therapy, hearing loss

As part of the prestigious Nurses’ Health Study II, researchers conducted an investigation of 80,972 women over the course of about 23 years to see if there was truth to the idea that taking hormone therapy medication during menopause could slow hearing decline.

(Hormone therapy is a common medication taken by some women during menopause to replace the estrogen lost with female hormones. The treatment is designed help relieve uncomfortable symptoms and also act as a preventative measure.)

The investigation came on the heels of earlier studies that had shown that reduced estrogen levels in postmenopausal women may be associated with hearing loss.

The results of this research, however, were surprising: Evidently, women who entered menopause at 50 or older had a 10% greater risk of hearing loss than women who entered menopause earlier.

But even more astonishing—that risk for older women increased as much as 15% if they used hormone therapy for 5–10 years, and 21% if they took the medication for 10+ years.

Given that the likelihood of hearing loss increases for everyone as we age, today’s fact raises extra important awareness for aging women and the choices they consider—under the guidance of their physicians—while navigating menopause.

Hearing aids can help fight hearing loss at any life stage

No matter where your life journey takes you, it’s essential to know there is always a solution you can turn to when it comes to working through hearing loss—hearing aids.

Not only can hearing aids help you hear better so you never have to miss another life moment, but studies have shown they may also help slow cognitive decline, assist in preventing dementia, and even increase your lifespan.

In other words, it pays to monitor your hearing health as you grow older. Plus, experts recommend getting your hearing screened every three years once you’re 50, anyway. So, you can easily make hearing evaluations part of your routine medical exams.

Hearing care professionals are here to help

Find out more by reaching out to a hearing care professional. Simply type your zip code in here to pull up a list of providers near you.

They will be happy to evaluate your hearing and walk you through the latest hearing technology that not only can help you hear better, but live better, too—wherever you are in your life journey.

Are you looking for a hearing test in your area? Visit Land of Lincoln Hearing to learn more about your hearing heatlh.