There is no treatment which can restore hearing or reverse the damage to the inner ear. However, there are some options that may help improve your hearing if you are experiencing hearing loss related to lupus:
5Medical Treatment for LupusLupus-related hearing loss may be treated with anti-inflammatory medication, steroids or other medications. You can speak with your primary care provider about the medical treatments available to you.
Hearing AidsHearing aids are small electronic devices that you wear in or behind your ear. The devices are programmed by a hearing care professional and personalized based on your hearing test results. The settings are configured so that a person with hearing loss can continue to participate fully in the activities of their life.
Cochlear ImplantsCochlear implants are surgically implanted devices for people who have severe or greater hearing loss. It is meant for people whose hearing loss is so extreme that hearing aids on their own can no longer help. It bypasses the inner ear to receive and send hearing signals to the brain.
What Can You Do?
If you have been diagnosed with lupus or another autoimmune disorder, keep in mind that it may affect your hearing. Getting regular hearing assessments is especially important for people with lupus or other autoimmune diseases. Contact us to book an appointment at one of our hearing centres located across Canada.
1 - “Lupus is Associated with Increased Risk of Hearing Loss.” LUPUS Foundation of America. Mar 3, 2021. Accessed on April 14, 2023. https://www.lupus.org/news/lupus-is-associated-with-increased-risk-of-hearing-loss
2 - “Lupus and Hearing Loss.” Lupus.net. April 1, 2021. Accessed on April 14, 2023. https://lupus.net/complications-comorbidities/hearing-loss
3 - Di Stadio A, Ralli M. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and hearing disorders: Literature review and meta-analysis of clinical and temporal bone findings. J Int Med Res. 2017;45(5):1470-1480. doi:10.1177/0300060516688600.
4 - Yuen E, Fried J, Nguyen SA, Rizk HG, Ward C, Meyer TA. Hearing loss in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lupus. 2021;30(6):937-945. doi:10.1177/0961203321997919
5 - “Hearing Loss, Ear Health, and Lupus.” Lupus Corner. Accessed on April 14, 2023. https://lupuscorner.com/hearing-loss-lupus/