You might be acquainted with the various factors contributing to hearing loss, like the impact of getting older, genetic predisposition within families, or extended exposure to loud sounds. However, you might find it intriguing to discover the connection between diabetes and hearing impairment. Let’s dig a little deeper into that.
How does diabetes increase your risk of hearing loss?
As per the CDC, 9% or 37 million individuals in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes, and this prevalence rises with age. Hearing loss is twice as prevalent in individuals with diabetes compared to people who don’t have the condition. Even in pre-diabetics, constituting 133 million Americans, the degree of hearing loss is 30% higher than in individuals with normal blood sugar levels.
A variety of body regions can be impacted by diabetes: kidneys, hands, feet, eyes, and even ears. The degeneration of the small blood vessels inside of your ears can be accelerated by elevated blood sugar levels. And on the other end of the spectrum, the transmission of nerve signals from the inner ear can be interrupted by low blood sugar. Both scenarios can contribute to hearing loss.
The lack of diabetes control triggers persistent high blood pressure, causing damage to the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, nerves, and eyes.
Signs you might be dealing with hearing loss
If you aren’t actively monitoring the state of your hearing, hearing loss can slowly sneak up on you. In many situations, friends and colleagues may notice the issue before you identify it.
Some indicative signs of hearing loss include:
- Always needing to crank up the volume of your devices and TV
- Constantly needing people to repeat what they said
- Difficulty following phone conversations
- Struggling in noisy restaurants
- Perceiving others as mumbling
If you notice any of these difficulties or if someone points out changes in your hearing, it’s essential to consult with us. We will carry out a hearing test that will establish a baseline for future assessments and also deal with any balance-related challenges.
If you have diabetes, be proactive
We encourage anybody who has diabetes to get a yearly hearing test.
Maintain control of your blood sugar levels.
Use ear protection and avoid overly loud settings.