Sunday, December 12, 2010

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Smokers are at greater risk for hearing damage

It is known fact that smoking tobacco can increase risk of stroke, heart attack, pulmonary disease emphysema and cancer.  Researchers at the Annual ASHA conference in Philadelphia (November 2010) revealed that both men and women smokers are at higher risk for permanent cochlear damage than non-smokers. This study showed that nicotine appears to reduce the blood supply to the cochlea, which is crucial for normal function of the cochlea. It was found by researchers that reduction of the blood supply occurs regardless of the number of cigarettes smoked per day. 

It is important to keep up with such research developments to bring awareness to the population we serve. This information can help us identify at-risk individuals and provide the appropriate education to promote overall well-being. 

The publication is not yet available for review, but you can find the press release on ASHA's website. 


2 comments:

Quentin said...
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Erik said...
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