Assault on the ears: second-hand smoke causes hearing loss

Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke nearly doubles the risk of hearing loss in teenagers, according to US university researchers.

While second-hand smoke has previously been linked to conditions such as heart disease and lung cancer, this is the first study to establish its connection with hearing loss.

While the hearing loss ascribed to second-hand tobacco smoke is described as mild, researchers say it is a “subtle yet serious” problem which is most likely caused by smoke damaging the ear’s blood supply.