Your thyroid, an important part of the endocrine system, is a gland that makes and distributes hormones throughout your body. When it’s working well, the thyroid helps your body use energy effectively. When it doesn’t produce enough (hypothyroidism) or produces too many (hyperthyroidism) hormones, it can affect your metabolism, weight, blood flow, heart rate and more.
One area of your health you might not expect a thyroid disorder to affect is your hearing. Unfortunately, some research suggests that both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism could increase your risk of inner ear damage.
The Increased Risk of Hearing Loss in Patients With Thyroid Disorders
A Taiwanese study on the connection between thyroid disorders and inner ear dysfunction found that hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism led to an elevated risk of inner ear hearing loss.[1] The findings were strong enough for the researchers to recommend baseline hearing testing for patients diagnosed with a thyroid disorder. The baseline testing allows your specialist to spot even subtle hearing damage—paving the way for earlier treatment.
A second study found similar results; there is a correlation between hypothyroidism, thyroid autoimmune disease and poorer auditory function.[2] The correlation was significantly stronger with hypothyroidism than with hyperthyroidism. The researchers also reiterated previous findings that thyroid disorder treatment has clinical benefits for inner ear diseases, while still stressing the need for large-scale studies to confirm these effects.
How Thyroid Disorders Affect Hearing
One commonly stated cause for the correlation between thyroid disorders and hearing is related to abnormal blood flow and an increased risk of blood clotting. Because the inner ear relies on a steady supply of blood, disruptions in that flow can damage the hearing mechanisms.
Other types of thyroid disorders, like autoimmune conditions or cancer, can also affect hearing, either through the conditions themselves or the drugs used to treat them.
Schedule Your Hearing Test
If you were recently diagnosed with a thyroid condition, contact us at Massachusetts Hearing Group to schedule a baseline test. We can help you catch and manage hearing loss early and effectively.
[1] Tsai, Y. T., Chang, I. J., Hsu, C. M., Yang, Y. H., Liu, C. Y., Tsai, M. S., Chang, G. H., Lee, Y. C., Huang, E. I., Lin, M. H., & Luan, C. W. (2020). Association between Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Preexisting Thyroid Diseases: A Nationwide Case-Control Study in Taiwan. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(3), 834. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030834
[2] Arsie, A. E., Sacchetto, L., Muneretto, C., Seno, M., Apa, E., Genovese, E., Monzani, D., & Palma, S. (2025). Inner Ear Dysfunction in Thyroid Disease: A Scoping Review. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 61(10), 1793. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61101793