Why is hearing impaired in diabetes

The earlier hearing loss is detected, the more effective treatment options, such as hearing aids, will be. It is important that those living with diabetes understand the risks and long-term implications of hearing loss. The physical and psychological effects of hearing loss are well established and can be debilitating.

Left undetected, hearing loss in adults can lead to significant health, social and economic problems, including falls, cognitive decline, social isolation and reduced capacity to learn and work. So if you have diabetes, it is vital that you keep on top your medication and treatment plans and it is always important to follow a healthy lifestyle, by exercising and eating the correct foods.

Many of us go to the gym to keep strong fit and healthy — so why neglect our ears? Your doctor plays a critical role in recognising the mental health risks of hearing loss in patients living with diabetes and helping prevent the onset of withdrawal, isolation, and depression. Be sure to talk to your GP about any concerns you have about your hearing and keep up with your annual hearing checks for early diagnosis of any hearing issues and more effective ongoing management.

If you are experiencing any indicators of hearing loss talk to your GP about getting this checked or call to find a hearing specialist near you. Afflicting nearly 21 million people in the United States, it is a major cause of heart disease and stroke and the most common cause of blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputations in adults.

Pre-diabetes, which causes no symptoms, affects about 54 million adults in the United States, many of whom will develop type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years. Pre-diabetes raises the risk of a heart attack or stroke even if diabetes does not develop. People with pre-diabetes can often prevent or delay diabetes if they lose a modest amount of weight by cutting calories and increasing physical activity. People with diabetes also benefit from diet and exercise as well as medications that control blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Type 2 diabetes usually appears after age 40, and is more common in overweight, inactive people and in those with a family history of diabetes. Hearing loss is a common problem caused by aging, disease, heredity, and noise. About 17 percent of American adults — 36 million people — report some degree of hearing loss. There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing loss: 8 percent of American adults 18 to 44 years old, 19 percent of adults 45 to 64 years old, and 30 percent of adults 65 to 74 years old report trouble with hearing.

You may want to keep a close watch on your hearing, too. Research indicates diabetics are more than twice as likely to develop hearing loss than those without the disease. The number of people diagnosed with this disease is on the rise, jumping more than 50 percent in the last decade, according to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

In all three cases, the result is an elevation in blood sugar levels which must be managed. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke. Scientists are not entirely sure why diabetes negatively impacts the sense of hearing; however, they suspect high blood glucose levels cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear.

Like other parts of the body, the hair cells of the inner ear rely on good circulation to maintain health. These hair cells are responsible for translating the noise our ears collect into electrical impulses, which they send along the auditory nerve to the brain to interpret as recognizable sound.

These sensory hair cells, known as stereocilia, do not regenerate. Once they are damaged or die, hearing is permanently affected.

The resulting sensorineural hearing loss can often be treated with hearing devices such as hearing aids or cochlear devices. A hearing evaluation will determine the amount of hearing loss; a hearing healthcare professional can interpret those results to recommend appropriate treatment options.

Although sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, it is possible to protect your remaining hearing. Most importantly, schedule a hearing evaluation with a hearing healthcare professional as soon as possible and share your diabetes diagnosis as part of your medical history. Those are large groups of people, and it appears there is a lot of overlap between the two.

A recent study found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as it is in those who don't have the disease. Also, of the 88 million adults in the U. Right now we don't know how diabetes is related to hearing loss. It's possible that the high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes cause damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear, similar to the way in which diabetes can damage the eyes and the kidneys.

But more research needs to be done to discover why people with diabetes have a higher rate of hearing loss.