- Research indicates high blood sugar levels may damage the inner ear’s small blood vessels and nerves, diminishing our ability to hear best.
- Diabetes and hearing loss are two of America’s most widespread health concerns. More than 34 million people in the U.S have diabetes, and an estimated 34.5 million have some type of hearing loss. Those are large groups of people, and it appears there is a lot of overlap between the two.”
- “Of the 88 million adults in the U.S who have prediabetes, the rate of hearing loss is 30% higher than in those with normal blood glucose.”
- The prevalence increases with age, reaching 26.8% among those 65 years or older, being highest among American Indians / Alaska Natives, people of Hispanic origin and Blacks.
As patients commonly learn about this systemic disease’s impact from primary care providers, cardiologists, eye doctors or podiatrists, more should hear the facts from their audiologists. Did you know hearing loss occurs almost twice as often in adults who have diabetes than in those that do not?
As a valuable reference, please learn more from the American Diabetes Association’s informative website:
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-and-hearing-loss
Do you have diabetes or a family history that may increase your risk of diabetes-related hearing loss? With all the daily challenges associated with having diabetes or taking care of someone who does, the ability to communicate effectively, especially with social distancing, is vital.
Now that you know, please see us for periodic evaluations to monitor your type and degree of hearing loss. In close coordination with your other healthcare providers, including primary care or endocrinologists, we will suggest healthy options to reduce the risk of inner ear damage, hear your best and improve your quality of life. Once again, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
