Can High Blood Pressure Damage Your Hearing?

Photo by Marta Branco. Courtesy of Pexels.

What is Hypertension?

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common cardiovascular condition which means that the blood flowing in the body through arteries and veins is exerting a higher pressure than normal. The circulatory system in the body uses arteries and veins to move blood from the heart to the organs and tissues that need blood and back to the heart. Since blood is a fluid, it exerts pressure on the arteries when it flows through them. In the case of hypertension, the heart has to work harder to pump blood and as a result, organs with many blood vessels are affected. If left unchecked, hypertension can lead to serious health complications including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, aneurysms, metabolic syndrome, and can even affect cognitive functions.

Blood pressure is measured using a device called a Sphygmomanometer which can be in the form of a cuff (old school) or an electronic device (modern tech) as shown above. The output is two numbers, such as 120mmHg/80mmHg. The top (and usually larger) number is the systolic pressure, which is the pressure of the blood as the heart contracts (shown in the device as SYS). The bottom (and usually smaller) number is the diastolic pressure, which is the blood pressure when the heart relaxes (DIA in the device above). Blood pressure is best recorded after a period of sitting down, not sleeping or running.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), there are four categories of high blood pressure.

• Normal blood pressure: where blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg. For example, 115/72 is normal blood pressure.

• Elevated blood pressure: where blood pressure is in the range of 120-129/<80mmHg. An example would be 123/70.

• Stage 1 Hypertension: here, blood pressure is in the range of 130-139/80-89 mmHg. An example here could be 135/85.

• Stage 2 Hypertension: where the blood pressure is >140/>90 mmHg. An example could be 160/100. The readings in the device in the photograph displays reading pointing to Stage 2 Hypertension.

When blood pressure is higher than 180/120 mmHg, then the person is having a hypertensive emergency, and emergency medical help should be sought.

High Blood Pressure. Image credit: Cleveland Clinic

What is hearing loss?

Hearing loss occurs when something is impending hearing. People with hearing loss tend to have trouble engaging in conversations because they cannot hear other people. It can also be increasingly difficult to follow dialogue on television or hear the radio. In hearing loss, sounds can be muffled, and certain levels of sound may not be audible. There are three types of hearing loss.

1. Conductive hearing loss: the most straightforward, where something is preventing sound from passing through the outer or middle ear.

2. Sensorineural hearing loss: in this case the inner ear is damaged and it happens over a period of time.

3. Mixed: this is a mix of the first two types of hearing loss. Here, there are issues with the middle or outer ear (conductive hearing loss) and there are also issues with the inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss). 

   
   

How does hypertension affect hearing loss?

Many different scientific studies have found a significant correlation between hypertension and hearing loss. Based on these studies, it can be said that a higher and longer period of hypertension leads to more chances of hearing loss or progressive degradation. 

However, as of yet, it is not exactly clear why hypertension causes hearing loss. It is thought that high blood pressure might affect the inner ear and stop it from working properly, since there is more pressure than normal on the tiny arteries in the ear. In addition, the inner ear and eardrum are delicate and sensitive body parts, full of tiny blood vessels. The cochlea, a part of the ear important for hearing, is highly vascularized. This makes it very susceptible to high blood pressure, and prone to damage from hypertension. With high blood pressure, there is more pressure on the many arteries in the ear, and this can overwhelm the ear. In addition, the specialized cells in the ear, such as the hair cells, do not regenerate. So as they become damaged, the ability to receive signals from the ear to the brain decreases. This could lead to hearing loss. 

Given the heavy correlation between hearing loss and hypertension, it is very important to identify hypertension early, as this can help with early testing for hearing loss. Also, better control of hypertension minimizes the risk of hearing loss over a period of time.

Conclusion

In hypertension, blood in the arteries and veins exerts more pressure than normal making the heart work harder and leads to long term serious health complications. Hearing loss is the loss of hearing, and there are three different types of hearing loss, depending on which part of the ear is damaged. Hypertension is heavily correlated with hearing loss, but it is yet to be found exactly how this occurs. If hypertension is diagnosed early, it can be better managed and hearing loss can be tested and managed earlier which improves quality of life.

References

1. admin. “The Link Between Hypertension and Hearing Loss.” Peninsula Hearing Inc, 8 June 2021, https://peninsulahearing.com/the-link-between-hypertension-and-hearing-loss/.

2. Gillette, Hope. “Hypertension and Your Ears: Tinnitus, Vertigo, and Issues.” Healthline, 19 Dec. 2024, https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/hypertension-ears.

3. Hearing, Aspire. “The Hidden Link Between Hypertension and Hearing Loss.” Aspire Hearing, 9 June 2025, https://www.aspirehearing.com/hearing-loss-articles/how-high-blood-pressure-can-damage-your-hearing/.

4. “Hearing Loss.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17673-hearing-loss. Accessed 26 July 2025.

5. “High Blood Pressure: What You Need To Know.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4314-hypertension-high-blood-pressure. Accessed 26 July 2025.

6. Hou, Yinjing, and Bo Liu. “Relationship Between Hypertension and Hearing Loss: Analysis of the Related Factors.” Clinical Interventions in Aging, May 2024, pp. 845–56, https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S458869.

7. Jin, Xiaohua, et al. “Association between Hypertension and Hearing Loss: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Frontiers in Neurology, vol. 15, Jan. 2025, https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1470997.

8. Umashankar, Abishek, and Prashanth Prabhu. “Hearing Loss and Hypertension: A Literature Review.” Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, vol. 74, Aug. 2022, pp. 532–40, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02378-2.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board