Bad effects of cigarette smoke on health is undeniable, both in those who smoke cigarettes or are exposed to second-hand smoke cigarette smoke or combustion is also known as second hand smoke. Recent research shows that teens who are exposed to secondhand smoke have almost double the risk of hearing loss.
Researchers from New York University School of Medicine analyzed more than 1,500 young people aged 12-19 years who participated in the research in nutritional nationwide in 2005-2006.
Participants underwent blood tests to measure levels of a chemical called continine, a fractional form of nicotine. The teens also examined the function of hearing.
The results showed that adolescents who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have hearing loss associated with cochlear problem. The cochlea is the auditory organ that functions to send messages to the auditory nerve and the brain.
"This is the type of hearing loss that usually occurs due to aging or those children who are born with congenital deafness," said a researcher.
Other researchers, assessing the facts of the cigarette smoke that can cause hearing loss among adolescents has implications for public health.
While a doctor from the UK charity Action on Hearing Loss, expressed the need for more research on hearing loss to prove a causal relationship between secondhand smoke and hearing loss.
"But, as a precaution and protection of your child's hearing, it is recommended to avoid cigarette smoke around them," he said.
