Diabetes Awareness: What’s the Connection Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss?

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Millions of Americans currently have diabetes, and millions more are considered prediabetic. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Over 34 million people in the United States have diabetes and an estimated 20% of those people do not know they have the disease.
• One in three Americans have prediabetes and the vast majority (84%) are unaware of it.
• Diabetes is the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States.

Left untreated, diabetes can lead to many health issues such as kidney problems, heart disease, and hearing loss.

How Diabetes Increases Hearing Loss Risk

Research has shown that having diabetes increases a person’s risk of hearing loss regardless of age. Additionally, people with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss as those without the condition.

The increase in risk is likely caused by uncontrolled high blood sugar from diabetes damaging the small blood vessels in the inner ear. This damage affects circulation to the hair cells in the ear. Lack of circulation can cause them to degrade and no longer work, which contributes to hearing loss.

How to Protect Your Hearing Health

• Visit your doctor if you have symptoms of diabetes. Since untreated diabetes can lead to hearing loss, it’s important to get checked out if you have any symptoms of the disease. Some of the most common symptoms of diabetes include fatigue, unintended weight loss, frequent urination, intense thirst, and wounds that are slow to heal.
• Manage your blood sugar. If you do have diabetes, it is vital to manage your blood sugar levels. This means taking all medications prescribed for your diabetes, eating healthy and avoiding high sugar foods.
• Get physical activity. Regular exercise can help manage symptoms of diabetes. It also increases blood flow to all parts of your body, including your ears. Whether it’s working in your garden, going for a bike ride or taking a stroll through Beaverdam Park, it can all benefit your hearing health.
• Visit a hearing specialist. While you can’t reverse any hearing damage from diabetes that has already occurred, you can take steps to treat your hearing loss with hearing aids and prevent many of the negative consequences of untreated hearing loss.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call The Audiology Offices today.

• How Can Inner Ear Damage Affect Hearing?
• Tips for Sharing the Holiday Cheer with a Child Who Has Hearing Loss
• Boo! Protect Your Hearing from Loud Noises This Halloween