How does smoking affect hearing?

Answer 1

The only known effect on hearing due to smoking is that smokers produce more ear wax than non-smokers produce. The ears, like the nasal passages, aid in the body's defenses. The ear must drain fluids through the estachian tube (one for each ear). In smokers, the eustachian tube (one or both) can become blocked or have difficulty draining, which backs fluid into the ear behind the ear drum. Wax begins to build in front of the ear drum in the middle ear. This wax can make the ear drum less moveable; movement of the eardrum helps conduct sound. In heavy smokers, the wax can create a blockage, thereby reducing the ability to hear until the wax is removed by a doctor.

Some Ear/Nose/Throat (ENT) doctors recommend using a mix of a few drops of peroxide in water to irrigate the ear canal. This softens the wax and helps move it to the outside. Some doctors recommend using a netti pot to flush out the sinuses and nasal passages as well.

It is important to never put anything into the ear. Even a q-tip can damage the sensitive ear drum membrane and cause permanent hearing loss.