Causes And Risk Factors For An Ear Infection

Smoking

The majority of individuals are aware of the major health risks smoking poses: it increases the chances of developing multiple types of cancer, damages immune function, and causes internal organs to not work as well. But many might be surprised to hear smoking also increases the chances of developing an ear infection. In fact, smokers are more likely to experience hearing loss than non-smokers. The health of an individual's hearing can be negatively impacted by cigarette smoke even if they only breathe secondhand smoke rather than smoking themselves. There are several reasons why smoking increases an individual's ear infection risk. One is the components found in the smoke can irritate the lining of the ear and Eustachian tube. Another is the damage to the immune system makes it more difficult for the body to fight off infections it might otherwise not be susceptible to. Smoking causes ongoing damage to tissues found in the throat and nose. When these become infected, the infection can also sometimes affect the ears.

Keep reading to learn more about the risk factors for developing an ear infection now.