Diabetes and the Risk of Hearing Impairment
No one wants to hear that diabetes is correlated with a greater risk of hearing loss, but that is what researchers have found. Having diabetes may double your chances of experiencing some type of hearing loss.
It is another reason, though there are already more than enough, for people diagnosed with diabetes to maintain healthy-as-possible blood glucose levels.
Auditory Apparatus and Glucose
Many research studies on hearing loss and diabetes do not differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There may be hearing-related issues connected to each type yet unknown. However, many experts theorize it is the effects of high blood sugar, and not the diabetes onset mechanism, which can harm our auditory apparatus.
High blood sugar is known to damage the body’s small blood vessels and the nerves those vessels feed. It makes sense to most scientists that the same type of effects can occur within the intricacies of our ear. The capillaries and cells involved with hearing are tiny and sometimes delicate, not designed to handle glucose-heavy blood flow.
Still, there could be other reasons for a diabetes-hearing loss connection. For instance, side effects from the drugs many diabetics use, such as blood pressure medications, may turn out to be involved.
Concerns About Hearing
Regardless of why diabetes is linked with hearing impairment, statistics in the U.S. show that more than 70 percent of those with diabetes, ages 50 to 69, have high-range hearing loss and about 33 percent have low- to mid-frequency loss. Auditory impairment also seems to begin at earlier ages in those with diabetes, and people with pre-diabetes are at greater risk for problems as well.
Diabetes-related hearing loss may never become severe enough to require a hearing aid. However, if you frequently find yourself complaining that others are mumbling, or family and friends annoy you with concerns about your hearing, significant hearing loss might have crept up on you.
Other indications of impairment are difficulty hearing in noisy places such as restaurants, trouble hearing the softer voices of children and women, being unable to follow a conversation with three or more people, frequently asking people to repeat themselves, and others complaining that you turn the radio or TV up too loudly.
Staying in the Conversation
There is no cure for diabetes-related hearing loss, and the only prevention is a healthy diet, medication compliance and regular exercise. However, disciplined diabetes management is not a guarantee against impairment.
Fortunately, just as technological advances have shrunk once-giant computers to the size of wristwatches, hearing aids have also become smaller – and more efficient. If you suspect hearing loss, see your doctor or an audiologist for an examination.
By getting what you need to get back into the thick of conversations, you can avoid nasty hearing loss side effects such as social isolation and depression.
Sources: ASHA; Diabetic Living Online; Diabetes; ADA
Photo credit: Travis Isaacs - flickr
More Articles
With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.
Farro...
Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....
With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...
If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...
In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.
When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...
More Articles
If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....
For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.
A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...
According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...
Eleven Clinical Studies
After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...
Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...
Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...
Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...
Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....
When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...
Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.
The...
Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...
Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...
Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...
One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...