There’s nothing that’s good about cancer. Because of this, patients receiving cancer treatment will in some cases feel compelled to disregard cancer treatment side effects, like hearing loss, as trivial. But it’s essential to keep in mind that, for a great many cancer patients, there will be life after your disease. And you want that life to be as full and prosperous as possible.
This means it’s important to speak with your care team about reducing and dealing with side effects caused by your treatment. By talking about possible hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance problems that may arise from chemotherapy, for instance, you’ll be more ready for what happens next, and be in a better position to fully enjoy life after cancer.
Available cancer treatments
Cancer treatment has progressed substantially in the past 20 years. The development of certain cancers can even be avoided with vaccines. But, generally speaking, there are still three typical ways that doctors will fight this serious disease: surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
There are unique drawbacks and strengths to each of these, and in some cases, they’re used together. The best treatment course will be guided by your diagnosis, your prognosis, and your care team.
Do all cancer treatments lead to hearing and balance issues? Well, every patient is different, but generally, these side effects are limited to chemotherapy.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells with a combination of strong chemicals. For a wide array of cancers, chemotherapy is the primary course of treatment because of its extremely successful track record. But chemotherapy can produce some really uncomfortable side effects because these chemicals are so strong. Here are several of these side effects:
- Loss of hearing
- Hair loss (including your nose hairs)
- Vomiting
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Nausea
- Sores in the mouth
Side effects of chemotherapy have a tendency to differ from person to person. The particular combination of chemicals also has a significant impact on the specific side effects. Most individuals are fairly well aware of some of these symptoms, like hair loss for instance. But that isn’t necessarily the case with chemotherapy-caused hearing loss.
Does chemo cause hearing loss?
Hearing loss is not the most well known chemotherapy side effect. But the truth is that chemotherapy can and does cause hearing loss. Is related hearing loss irreversible? The answer is frequently yes.
So is there a specific type of chemo that is more likely to result in hearing loss? Generally speaking, hearing loss tends to be most prevalent with platinum-based chemical protocols (known as cisplatin-based chemotherapy). These kinds of therapies are most often used to treat head, neck, and gynecological cancers, but they can be used on other cancers also.
Scientists think that platinum-based chemotherapy chemicals attack and damage the little fragile stereocilia in the ears, but the precise cause-and-effect relationship is still unclear. This can trigger hearing loss that is often irreversible.
Hearing loss is something you want to keep your eye on, even when you’re fighting cancer
Hearing loss might not seem like that much of a worry when you’re combating cancer. But there are substantial reasons why your hearing health is important, even in the midst of battling cancer:
- Chemotherapy-caused hearing loss can also result in balance issues and tinnitus. So can tinnitus also be caused by chemotherapy? Unfortunately, yes. This tinnitus and loss of balance can be a problem, too. When you’re recovering from chemotherapy, the last thing you need is to take a fall.
- Hearing loss can negatively affect your mental health, particularly if that hearing loss is neglected. Anxiety and depression are closely linked to untreated hearing loss. Someone who is fighting cancer already has a heavy weight on their shoulders and the last thing they need is added anxiety and depression.
- Hearing loss has been known to cause social isolation. Many different conditions can be exacerbated by this. In other words, obtaining the appropriate treatment (or even purchasing the right groceries) can become harder when you’re feeling socially isolated.
You’ll want to talk to your care team about minimizing other health concerns while you’re fighting cancer.
So what should you do?
You’re at the doctor’s constantly when you’re battling cancer. But don’t allow that to stop you from scheduling an appointment for a hearing test.
Visiting a hearing specialist will help you do several things:
- Establish a baseline for your hearing. This will make it substantially easier to detect hearing loss in the future.
- If you do notice hearing loss, it will be easier to obtain rapid treatment.
- Begin a relationship with a hearing professional. Your hearing specialist will have a more comprehensive understanding of the state of your hearing and its needs, if you do have hearing loss.
So if you develop hearing loss from chemo, can it be reversed? Regrettably, sensorineural hearing loss is irreversible, no matter the cause. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be treated. Your hearing specialist will be capable of helping you address and manage your hearing loss. This may mean simple monitoring or it might include a set of hearing aids.
It should be mentioned, too, that most chemotherapy-caused hearing loss usually impacts the higher-range of hearing frequencies. Your day-to-day hearing may not even really be effected.
Your hearing health is important
It’s essential to pay attention to your hearing health. If you’re worried about how chemotherapy might impact your hearing, talk to your care team. Your treatment may not be able to change but at least you’ll be better able to track your symptoms and to get faster treatment.
Chemotherapy can cause hearing loss. But with the correct plan, and a little help from your hearing specialist, you’ll be able to get effective treatments that keep you hearing better longer.
