If you’re one of the more than 30 million Americans who have diabetes, you are likely familiar with some of the complications of the disease – neuropathy (nerve damage), retinopathy (eye damage), kidney malfunction, and cardiovascular disease are just a few of them. According to a recent article by Debbie Clason in Healthy Hearing, there is now a connection between diabetes and hearing loss.
The basics of diabetes
In simple terms, diabetes is a disease characterized by the body’s inability to properly regulate blood sugar. The exact reason for this depends on which type of diabetes an individual has. The three types are as follows:
- Type 1 – Individuals with this form of diabetes don’t produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Insulin allows glucose to enter into the body’s cells where it can be used as fuel. Without it, the sugar stays in the bloodstream.
- Type 2 – Individuals diagnosed with this form of the disease do produce insulin but it’s not enough or isn’t effective. This resuts in poorly regulated blood sugar.
- Gestational – This is a type of diabetes that sometimes develops in pregnant women. Hormones cause the cells in the body to become resistant to insulin. This causes increased blood sugar which can negatively affect both the mother and unborn fetus. Fortunately, the condition usually goes away once the baby has been born.
How diabetes can affect hearing
According to Clason, scientists believe that high blood sugar levels may damage the tiny blood vessels in the ears, resulting in hearing impairment. Just like any other body part, the ears rely on healthy blood flow in order to function properly. This is especially true of the ear parts known as stereocilia, tiny hairs that take noises and transmit them via electrical messages to the brain to allow it to interpret the sounds. Once they are damaged, stereocilia do not regenerate so hearing loss would be permanent.
Hearing protection for diabetics
Once hearing has been lost, it cannot be regained, but it CAN be treated via hearing aids or other assistive hearing devices. If you have diabetes, it’s important to protect whatever hearing you have left:
- Prevent exposure to excessive noise – This includes turning down the volume on electronics, avoiding noisy environments, or wearing hearing protection if going to or working in a noisy place is unavoidable.
- Exercise and maintain an appropriate weight – Regular activity and a healthy weight can promote good blood circulation, keeping those ears healthy. Your doctor can help you determine your ideal weight and type and amount of exercise that is best for YOU.
Last, but perhaps most importantly, schedule a visit with an audiologist. He or she can conduct a hearing test, interpret the results, and recommend appropriate treatment, if necessary.
Read the full article here.
