Female Sex Hormone and Hearing Loss – Part 3

Another conclusion of this study was the fact both age and estradiol levels in the post-menopausal subjects had significant influence on the level of hearing loss diagnosed. This could be a valid argument for the continued study of estradiol replacement therapy for the treatment of hearing loss.

Along with age, estradiol levels in women have been found to have a significant effect on bone density in the cervical, neck, and lumbar, or lower spine. This loss of bone mass in the neck area of the spine can also have an effect on the density of the skull and inner ear bones. If the bones of the inner ear are not formed correctly, or lose their mass, they can no longer effectively conduct sound through the auditory system.

Estradiol’s effect of the structure of nerve cells and the nervous system may also have an effect on the time it takes for sound to be translated by the inner ear and the brain. Treatment of older adults at risk for hearing loss with estradiol replacement may have significant benefits in the prevention of hearing loss.

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