Can Psoriatic Arthritis Impact Your Hearing?

About 2 out of every 5 people with psoriasis get psoriatic arthritis. Those with psoriatic arthritis may have stiffness, joint pain, and swollen fingers or toes. Foot and lower back pain is also common. This can even be on top of the psoriasis symptoms already present.

But is hearing loss a symptom? Maybe. Psoriatic arthritis may affect hearing. Doctors think the inner ear may be damaged due to chronic inflammation seen in this autoimmune disease. Other autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can also all affect hearing.

Psoriatic arthritis may affect hearing

A 2018 study found that people with psoriatic arthritis were more likely to report problems with hearing. The study looked at those with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and those without the condition.

Patients rated their own hearing and also took a hearing test. Those with psoriatic arthritis rated their own hearing lower, or worse than the other groups. Those with psoriatic arthritis also did worse on the hearing test.

The pure tone average (PTA) hearing test shows higher scores for psoriatic arthritis compared to average people.

The PTA test measures your hearing threshold in units called decibels (dB). The threshold is the lowest level of sound you can hear.

If your threshold is higher than people with average hearing, you have hearing loss. People with psoriatic arthritis had an average PTA of 30.7 dB while people without the condition had a PTA of 18.7 dB. Those with psoriasis had the same results as people without the condition.

How much does psoriatic arthritis affect hearing?

The National Hearing Test website classifies hearing loss by comparing your hearing threshold to average people with no hearing loss. Scoring higher than average means you cannot hear as well.

Hearing loss is scored in the following way:

• Mild: scoring 25 to 40 dB higher than average.
• Moderate: scoring 40 to 55 dB higher than average.
• Moderate-to-severe: scoring 55 to 70 dB higher than average.
• Severe: scoring 70 to 90 dB higher than average.
• Profound: scoring 90 dB higher than average.

In the 2018 study, those with psoriatic arthritis scored 12 dB higher than average. This means they had minor hearing loss according to this scale.

Why is hearing loss linked to psoriatic arthritis?

Doctors think the chronic inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases can damage the ear. Another study in 2015 showed that 16 of 60 people with psoriatic arthritis had damage to the inner ear. Those without psoriatic arthritis had no damage.

What do I do if I think I have hearing loss?

Make an appointment with your doctor to talk about your concerns. Your doctor will examine your ears. You may need a hearing test. Hearing damage cannot be undone, but you may be able to get hearing aids to help you hear better. A hearing specialist can help you decide the best option for you.

Psoriatic hearing loss considerations

The 2018 study does not show that psoriatic arthritis causes hearing loss. We do not know if any of the participants have a family history of hearing loss. We also do not know if they work jobs that could cause hearing loss.

However, there are a handful of studies showing some link between hearing loss and autoimmune diseases. More work needs to be done to figure out the relationship between hearing loss and chronic inflammation.