25. Quit Smoking
Smoking is already known to be a health hazard. What you might not know is that it could also affect your ears. A number of studies on both adults and teenagers have shown that exposure to first-hand or second-hand smoke is linked to hearing loss. It is also strongly linked to tinnitus, vertigo, and dizziness. The nicotine in cigarettes, as well as carbon monoxide, can lower your blood level, as well as constrict blood vessels, including the ones in your inner ear. These may also affect the neurotransmitters in the auditory nerve, and irritate the Eustachian tube and the lining of your middle ear.
Second-hand smoke is also linked to ear infections, in both adults and children. It can damage tissues in the nose and throat, and may cause infections that could reach the ears. Studies have also shown that smoking during a mother’s pregnancy can put a baby’s hearing at risk.
With these effects in mind, it could help if you stop smoking while you have an ear infection. Better yet, you could take this as a challenge to totally quit. It would be good not only for your ears, but also for your overall health.
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