November is American Diabetes Month – a campaign to raise awareness about diabetes, a common chronic medical condition people experience today. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 38 million people have diabetes in the United States. Also, an estimated 1.5 million people are diagnosed every year. Diabetes can affect health in numerous ways including causing kidney and heart issues. Less known about it is the link between diabetes and hearing loss. Studies show that diabetes can actually increase the risk of developing hearing loss.
This November is a great invitation to participate in American Diabetes Month by prioritizing your hearing health. You can do this by scheduling an appointment for a hearing test.
Link Between Diabetes & Hearing Loss
Research shows that there is a significant correlation between diabetes and hearing loss. A major study that examines this correlation was conducted by the National Institutes of Health. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, this study involved 11,405 participants that included people with and without diabetes. Participants had their hearing health and diabetes assessed and researchers found that among adults with diabetes:
- 21% experienced a mild or greater hearing loss of low or mid-frequency sounds compared to 9% of adults without diabetes.
- 54% experienced a mild or greater hearing loss of high-frequency sounds compared to 32% of adults without diabetes.
- Adults with prediabetes had a 30% higher rate of hearing loss
These findings show that people with diabetes were much more likely to experience hearing loss. This data supports research that identifies diabetes as a risk factor for hearing loss.
Impact of Diabetes of Hearing Health
Though the exact ways diabetes produces hearing loss are still unclear, experts do have some ideas. Diabetes involves a lack of insulin production (Type 1) or the body not using insulin properly (Type ). This results in an accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream which can damage blood vessels and nerves in the body including the inner ear which houses the auditory system – the sensory system for hearing.
The inner ear consists of sensory cells that process incoming soundwaves by converting them into electrical signals. These signals get sent to the brain where they are further processed and assigned meaning to which is how we are able to understand what we hear. Damaged blood vessels can restrict blood flow and weaken sensory cells. This can prevent them from processing incoming sound waves effectively, resulting in the brain receiving less auditory information which causes hearing loss.
Tips to Protect Hearing Health
American Diabetes Month is a great time to prioritize your health, including your hearing health. There are numerous ways you can reduce your risk of developing hearing loss which is especially important for people with diabetes or prediabetes.
A few tips you can practice include the following:
- Diabetes care: prioritizing care for your diabetes is key. This includes maintaining blood sugar levels, keeping blood pressure low, preventing high cholesterol which can clog blood vessels etc. Be sure to talk to your doctor about what your goals and target levels are as well as ways to meet them.
- Test hearing regularly: Another effective tip is getting your hearing tested annually. Hearing tests involve a painless and noninvasive process that measures hearing capacities in both ears. This identifies your hearing needs and allows you to track your hearing health. Incorporate a hearing test in your yearly health screening.
- Reduce loud noise exposure: loud noise is a common cause of hearing loss. One time or consistent exposure to loud noise can cause noise induced hearing loss. It is important to reduce your exposure to loud noise which you can do in various ways including: wearing hearing protection (headphones, earplugs, earmuffs), maintaining lower volume settings on electronic devices, avoiding noisy restaurants and other settings, and taking listening breaks throughout the day.
- Increase physical activity: another useful strategy is increasing physical activity which promotes blood flow and circulation. You can do this by taking a daily walk, taking a few minutes to stretch, finding a physically engaging hobby like swimming or golfing etc.
Contact us to learn more about how you can protect your hearing health. You can take the first step during American Diabetes Month by scheduling an appointment for a hearing test.