Diabetes is a fairly common disease. It’s estimated that 30 million people have diabetes in the United States. According to the CDC, roughly 90 – 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
Whether you’re born with a childhood type of diabetes or it’s a disease you are afflicted with later in life, it’s important to know the symptoms and other ways the disease can affect your health. Unmanaged diabetes can impact your hearing. This is why it’s incredibly important to be vigilant and take potential symptoms seriously. We’ve put together a few things to keep an eye out for when it comes to your hearing and diabetes.
Hearing Loss and Diabetes – How Does Diabetes Affect My Hearing?
The changes our bodies make when we’re handling any stage of diabetes can be unpredictable and hard to process. If diabetes is new to you or someone you know, it can be scary to process all the changes that may be taking place. While the things you should be aware of are numerous, one big change to pay attention to can be changes to your hearing.
Results of research conducted by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that adults with diabetes were twice as likely to have a hearing loss. This is when compared to adults without diabetes.
“Hearing loss may be an under-recognized complication of diabetes. As diabetes becomes more common, the disease may become a more significant contributor to hearing loss… Our study found a strong and consistent link between hearing impairment and diabetes using a number of different outcomes,” senior author Catherine Cowie, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) said.
How Does Diabetes Cause Hearing Loss?
Currently, researchers have not identified what causes hearing loss in people with diabetes. Research is increasingly pointing to the damage that diabetes can potentially cause in our blood vessels and nerves. High blood sugar (A1c) levels can cause this damage.
Our auditory system is made up of a network of nerves and blood vessels. If diabetes results in damage to our auditory system, it can impact your hearing. In turn, this can result in a hearing loss. Damage to our auditory system can also impair our balance. This can result in dizziness, vertigo, and potentially increase the risk of a fall or accident.
If you have diabetes and struggle to manage your blood sugar levels, you may be at higher risk of hearing loss. Reduce your risk by following the treatment plan outlined by your primary healthcare physician. Make sure that you continue to monitor your diabetes.
How Can You Protect Your Hearing?
If you have diabetes, you can help reduce the chances of hearing loss by:
- Booking an annual hearing assessment
- Following your diabetes treatment plan
- Taking your medication as prescribed
- Monitoring your blood sugar levels
- Reducing high blood pressure
- Exercising regularly
- Managing your weight and eating healthy
Managing your diabetes is one of the best ways to help protect your hearing. Additionally, understanding the signs and symptoms of hearing loss can help you identify any changes to your hearing.
If you’d like to book in a hearing assessment with the hearing healthcare professionals at Regional Hearing and Balance, call us at 208-497-3596 or click here to request an appointment now.
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