You may 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 may find it intriguing to understand the connection between diabetes and hearing loss. Allow us to elaborate.
How does diabetes raise 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 two times as prevalent in individuals with diabetes in comparison to those without 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.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage across a variety of bodily regions, encompassing the hands, feet, eyes, kidneys, and ears. The deterioration 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. Worsened hearing loss can be the result of both scenarios.
Damage to the kidneys, heart, nerves, eyes, and blood vessels can be caused by chronic high blood pressure resulting from uncontrolled diabetes.
Signs you might be dealing with hearing loss
If you’re not actively monitoring the condition of your hearing, hearing loss can gradually sneak up on you. In many situations, friends and colleagues might observe the problem before you identify it.
Some suggestive signs of hearing loss include:
- Struggling in loud restaurants
- Difficulty following phone conversations
- Constantly needing people to repeat what they said
- Feeling as if people are mumbling when they talk
- Keeping the TV volume at a high level
It’s important to contact us for a consultation if you experience any of these signs or if someone points out your hearing changes. We will conduct a hearing test that will establish a baseline for future assessments and also deal with any balance-related concerns.
If you have diabetes, be proactive
We encourage anybody with diabetes to get a yearly hearing test.
Keep control of your blood sugar levels.
Steer clear of loud noises and protect your ears by using earplugs.