You know all about diabetes. Last year the doctor told you you’re at risk, and you have at least one family member living with diabetes. When you think about diabetes you might think about heart problems, or going on a diet, or needing to exercise more, but what you might not think about is hearing loss.
Hearing Loss and Diabetes are Linked
While it’s not a connection you may have thought about, diabetes actually increases your risk of hearing loss! Along with high blood sugar, an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and kidney damage, having diabetes can affect your ears and your hearing. A recent study at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that in women over the age of 60, those with type 1 and 2 diabetes has far worse hearing than those without diabetes.
A 2008 study by the National Institute of Health looked at questionnaires from more than 5,000 Americans, and they discovered that 21% of adults with diabetes also had hearing loss! This is more than double the 9% of adults without diabetes who are struggling to hear. The results are undeniable. If you have diabetes, your chances of developing hearing loss are high.
How Does Diabetes Affect Your Ears?
While we know that diabetes increases your risk of hearing loss, we’re not exactly sure how diabetes causes hearing loss. What we do know is that the high blood sugar levels that are a major part of diabetes cause damage to the blood cells of the entire body. One theory is that this damage makes it harder for the blood to circulate through the body and reach the ears. Without enough blood and oxygen, the delicate cells in the ear are damaged or destroyed, leading to the higher rates of hearing loss among diabetics.
Signs of hearing loss
If you or a loved one has diabetes, it’s important to know the common signs of hearing loss and seek treatment early. One of the first things you’ll notice is that you have trouble following conversations, and often don’t understand what’s been said. That’s because consonant sounds are hard to hear for someone with hearing loss, so even if you hear the words, you have trouble figuring out the meaning of what’s been said. Both you and the person you’re talking to get frustrated when you ask them to repeat everything for the third time. You may start choosing to stay home rather than meeting friends for dinner, because in all the background noise at the restaurant you just can’t keep up. That’s not a sign of aging, it’s a clear sign of hearing loss. If you’ve been turning up the volume on the TV, or have given up talking on the phone, you need to get your hearing tested right away.
Ways to Protect your Hearing
If you have diabetes, you risk developing hearing loss. Following the advice of your family physician, control your blood sugar levels, and prevent further damage to your blood cells and to your ears. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well and getting enough exercise. This is great for your diabetes, for your ears, and for your overall health and wellbeing. Finally, it’s very important that you and your loved ones over the age of 60 get yearly hearing tests and treat your hearing loss as soon as it appears. This will protect your ears from irreversible hearing loss and allow you to keep enjoying all the sounds around you for years to come.
Treating Hearing Loss
If you’ve been living with diabetes and struggling with hearing loss, it’s time to make a change! Clear hearing is within your reach. At Hearing Wellness Solutions, we work with the world’s leading hearing aid brands to bring you the best in hearing health. From sleek behind-the-ear devices to nearly invisible in-the-canal pieces, we have the device that will fit seamlessly into your life, whatever your hearing needs. Featuring directionality microphones, speech enhancement, and noise reduction, your new hearing aid will allow you to follow conversations, strengthen relationships, and help you enjoy your favorite hobbies.
