Doctors: rheumatism can cause severe hearing damage

Bad to Hear for rheumatism indicates an incorrect treatment

On Sunday, the 03. March 2019 is the world day of the hearing. On the occasion of the German society for rheumatology would like to explain a little-known connection. As the Expert reports of experts, do not attack of rheumatism, not only the joints, but also causes damage to the inner ear, which can lead to hearing loss, to sudden hearing loss.

According to the German society for rheumatology (DGRh) are affected in Germany, around 1.5 million people of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Since the classic joint, rheumatism, rheumatoid Arthritis, arises often in the age from 50 to 70 years, was not noticed of the hearing damaging effect for a long time. Because the development of a hearing loss was attributed to the age.

Rheumatism patients can suffer from hearing loss

“Many epidemiological studies suggest, however, that people with rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) suffer more frequently than other hearing disorders,” emphasizes DGRh-President Professor Dr. Hendrik Schulze, Co-op in a press release for the world day of the hearing. The exact relationships were, but have been little researched.

Possible Relationships

According to the DGRh-professionals, the cause for hearing might be Aden, with the joints between the Hörknöchelchen contexts, the increase in the middle ear the sound. This could be attacked in the course of a rheumatic disease. Another theory is that the receiver is drawn in the inner ear is affected.

“But one can assume that the inflammation in RA and other inflammatory diseases cause damage to the nervous system,” says the Professor. This injury also affects the Listening to. The Schulze Co-op relies on studies that have established a connection between nerve damage in the systemic disease systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE), and decreased Olfactory ability.

SLE can also lead to deafness

In the case of the SLE damage to the ears as possible. “Pathologists have demonstrated antibody and immune complex in the inner ear, blood circulation disorders cause or the sense of damage cells directly,” says the rheumatologist. Around 30,000 people are affected in Germany in SLE. Mainly young women meet it. In severe cases, there is a sudden hearing loss in one ear.

The right treatment can prevent this

“Fortunately, timely treatment can often prevent this,” emphasizes the expert. The Professor advises everyone Concerned to proceed in the hands of a rheumatologist. A regular intake of the right drugs could be the excessive braking at the end of reactions of the immune system.

Hearing loss in rheumatoid Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

In the case of the rarely occurring inflammatory rheumatic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis hearing impairment are very common, according to the Professor. In this disease there is in the entire body accumulations of small inflammatory nodules, which cause damage to the tissue. Is affected also the connection between the middle ear and the throat, which favours inflammation of the middle ear. In Germany, only a few hundred people at this rheumatism were ill-Form.

The hearing worsens, treatment should be switched

A General advice of Professor Dr. Hendrik Schulze, Co-op for all of the rheumatic disease is: “A deterioration of hearing performance can indicate that the treatment of the disease is optimal and the dose of the medication needs to be reviewed.” The sooner Affected with this concern to the specialist, the more likely long-term damage to hearing can be prevented, so the rheumatologist. (vb)