If you frequently get headaches or migraines during pregnancy, you should mention it to your doctor. If you suffer from migraines, and pregnancy is making that condition worse, you may find that you have hearing loss, tinnitus or muffled hearing that comes on or gets worse during your migraines. It doesn’t help that pregnancy can trigger more frequent headaches.

If you’re prone to getting headaches, you could be at increased risk for developing tinnitus or hearing problems (including sound sensitivity, known as hyperacusis) when you’re pregnant.

Some great foods to include are spinach, legumes, turkey, red meat, broccoli and the occasional treat of dark chocolate. Try focusing on eating iron-rich foods as well to see if that helps decrease the ringing you’re hearing. If your pregnant, make sure your prenatal vitamin has sufficient iron because your body will need approximately twice as much iron as it did in your pre-pregnancy days. Studies show that anemia and hearing impairment, including tinnitus, are linked-though the relationship isn't well understood and the research was conducted on older adults. (Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to the body, including the auditory system.) If you don't get enough iron in your diet while pregnant, you may experience a range of symptoms, including hearing problems. Pregnant women are at elevated risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. It's vital to have it monitored and treated properly by a knowledgeable pregnancy care provider. Even if you don't have a history of high blood pressure, pregnancy can trigger it in healthy women. With so many blood vessels near the ears, it’s no wonder tinnitus is a sign of elevated blood pressure. Some women report that their hearing feels muffled and they hear a loud whooshing sound. What does it sound like?įor some pregnant women, the tinnitus may match the rhythm of their pulse or heartbeat, known as pulsatile tinnitus. If you start treatment, keep in mind that some high blood pressure drugs are linked to temporary tinnitus. While tinnitus and muffled hearing doesn't affect all pregnant women with high blood pressure, it's still considered a red flag.

Preeclampsia and related conditions affect between 3 and 10% of pregnancies. In pregnant women, high blood pressure can indicate preeclampsia or the more rare HELLP syndrome, both of which can escalate into medical emergencies for both mom and baby. High blood pressure is an especially dangerous condition during pregnancy, so it’s something you should take seriously and monitor. High blood pressure can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus because our delicate inner ears are highly sensitive to any changes in blood flow. Note: If you're pregnant and experiencing tinnitus or other hearing problems, talk to your medical provider as some causes require prompt medical care. Below, we discuss these causes in more detail. Less commonly, tinnitus and hearing impairments during pregnancy may be due to several medical causes, including high blood pressure, migraines/headaches, anemia, ear and sinus infections, stress and poor sleep, and earwax blockage. Why are these changes in hearing so common? Normal hormonal and circulatory changes during pregnancy are largely to blame. Causes of tinnitus and hearing loss during pregnancy Most of the time tinnitus is harmless, but it can be an important warning sign that something more serious is going on. It affects approximately 1 in 10 women who aren't pregnant. Tinnitus, which is a fancy way of saying ringing in the ears, affects roughly 1 in 3 women during pregnancy. For some unlucky women, this includes tinnitus and more rarely, hearing loss. Pregnancy is a wonderful time for many women, but most of us would agree the side effects can be exhausting.

Migraine hearing heartbeat in ear