Aging is one of the most common indicators of hearing loss, and let’s face it, try as we might, we can’t escape aging. You can take some steps to look younger but you’re still getting older. But you may not know that a number of treatable health conditions have also been associated with hearing loss. Let’s take a look at some examples that might be surprising.
1. Diabetes can impact your hearing
So it’s fairly well recognized that diabetes is linked to a higher risk of hearing loss. But why would diabetes give you an increased risk of developing hearing loss? Well, science doesn’t provide all the answers here. Diabetes has been known to harm the kidneys, eyes, and extremities. One theory is that the condition may affect the ears in a similar way, destroying blood vessels in the inner ear. But it could also be related to overall health management. A 2015 study discovered that people with overlooked diabetes had worse results than people who were treating and managing their diabetes. It’s important to get your blood sugar checked if you suspect you might have overlooked diabetes or are prediabetic. And, it’s a good idea to get in touch with us if you think your hearing might be compromised.
2. Danger of hearing loss associated falls goes up
Why would having a hard time hearing cause a fall? Our sense of balance is, to some degree, managed by our ears. But there are other reasons why falls are more likely if you have loss of hearing. Individuals with hearing loss who have had a fall were the participants of a recent study. The study didn’t go into detail about the cause of the falls but it did conjecture that missing essential sounds, such as a car honking, could be a huge part of the cause. But it might also go the other way, if difficulty hearing means you’re paying more attention to sounds than to your surroundings, it could be easy to trip and fall. Luckily, your risk of having a fall is reduced by having your hearing loss treated.
3. Protect your hearing by treating high blood pressure
Numerous studies have revealed that hearing loss is connected to high blood pressure, and some have discovered that high blood pressure may actually accelerate age-related hearing loss. Clearly, this is not the sort of comforting news that makes your blood pressure drop. But it’s a connection that’s been found pretty consistently, even when controlling for variables like noise exposure and whether you’re a smoker. (You should never smoke!) The only variable that makes a difference appears to be gender: If you’re a man, the connection between high blood pressure and hearing loss is even stronger.
Your ears have a very close relation to your circulatory system. Two of your body’s primary arteries are positioned right by your ears and it contains many tiny blood vessels. The noise that people hear when they have tinnitus is often their own blood pumping as a consequence of high blood pressure. When your tinnitus symptoms are the result of your own pulse, it’s known as pulsatile tinnitus. But high blood pressure could also possibly result in physical harm to your ears, that’s the primary theory behind why it would hasten hearing loss. Every beat of your heart will have more pressure if it’s pumping blood harder. The small arteries in your ears could potentially be damaged as a result. High blood pressure can be managed through both lifestyle changes and medical treatments. But if you suspect you’re experiencing hearing loss, even if you believe you’re not old enough for the age-related stuff, it’s a good idea to consult with us.
4. Hearing loss and cognitive decline
It’s scary stuff, but it’s significant to mention that while the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline has been well recognized, scientists have been less productive at sussing out why the two are so powerfully linked. A prevalent idea is that having difficulty hearing can cause people to avoid social situations and that social withdrawal, and lack of cognitive stimulation, can be debilitating. The stress of hearing loss straining the brain is another idea. In other words, because your brain is putting so much energy into understanding the sounds around you, you might not have much energy left for remembering things like where you left your keys. Playing “brain games” and keeping your social life intact can be really helpful but the best thing you can do is manage your hearing loss. If you’re able to hear clearly, social situations are easier to deal with, and you’ll be able to focus on the important stuff instead of trying to figure out what someone just said.
If you’re concerned that you may be dealing with hearing loss, schedule an appointment with us today.
References
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2018/8541638/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1808869415310016
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3889339/