“Can a sinus infection cause hearing impairment?”
My father has had a sinus infection for a long period of time. Over time, he has been having a few issues with his hearing ability, which we thought was due to his age. Now he is just not able to hear. Could it have been because of the sinus infection?
3 Answers
Yes, he can have a hearing related to the sinus infection. I recommend a proper hearing evaluation and follow up with an ENT.
A sinus infection can impact the ears by causing congestion and dysfunction of the eustachian tubes, resulting in a conductive hearing loss (sound is not getting in properly). Viral infections can also result in hearing loss if damage is done to the inner ear. If this hearing loss came on very suddenly, that is considered a medical emergency and he should see an ear, nose and throat physician and an audiologist immediately. If the hearing loss has been gradually getting worse over time, it is not an emergency, but it is time to get a comprehensive hearing test and hearing aids. Consult an audiologist in your area.
Sometimes, if the infection is bad enough, it can cause a temporary or conductive hearing loss. The best suggestion would be to have his hearing evaluated by an audiologist to determine if the sinus infection has impacted his hearing in any way.
