Psoriasis can be a debilitating chronic skin condition. Among the symptoms, you’ve got flaky, itchy skin, inflammation, and white, red, or silver patches on the skin. An overactive immune system causes psoriasis, with sufferers experiencing psoriasis outbreaks at varying frequencies. What you may not be aware of is that psoriasis can produce other symptoms. In this article, we ask, can psoriasis affect your hearing?
Psoriasis Doesn’t Just Affect the Skin
Psoriasis sufferers are at risk of developing the following complications:
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Eye conditions such as conjunctivitis
- Emotional problems
- Kidney disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Parkinson’s disease
Though not all psoriasis sufferers develop complications, they are more likely to suffer from one or more of the above conditions.
Can Psoriasis Affect Your Hearing?
Some psoriasis sufferers develop the symptoms around or on the ears. In some cases, scales can build up inside the ear. This results in a blockage in your ear canal, leading to hearing loss. To counter this hearing loss, your doctor can clear the blockage. In most cases, this type of psoriasis build up does not affect the inner ear.
However, research has indicated that people who suffer from psoriatic arthritis are more prone to develop sensorineural hearing loss.
Scientists in Turkey also investigated the link between psoriasis and hearing loss. They concluded that psoriasis sufferers should undergo a hearing test on a regular basis, even if they show no signs of hearing deficiency. This is because this study, too, uncovered a possible link between psoriasis and hearing loss.
Final Thoughts
If you’re asking can psoriasis affect your hearing, we’ve got to answer your question with a ‘yes’. Psoriasis in the ears may cause blockages in the ear which lead to temporary hearing loss. However, by having your physician clear these blockages, your hearing may be restored. In addition, scientists are investigating whether psoriasis plays a role in causing sensorineural hearing loss and recommend psoriasis sufferers have their hearing tested regularly.
