Many different health conditions can be found in an individual who has been diagnosed
with diabetes, one of them being hearing loss. Diabetes and hearing loss were linked back before the 1960’s. According to American Diabetes Association, nearly 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, and an estimated 34.5 million have hearing loss issues.
People who have been diagnosed with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss then those with normal blood glucose levels was found in a study by National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published by the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2008. During this study over 5,000 individuals had performed hearing test. Among the diabetics that were tested, 68% of them were found to have hearing loss. Researchers believe diabetes may lead to hearing loss by damaging the nerves and blood vessels on the inner ear.
Even though hearing loss can be treated with hearing aids, the earlier hearing loss is found the faster and more successfully it can be treated. There are a few different courses of action that can help reduce your chance of hearing loss. Number one priority is having complete control of your blood sugar. Watch your nutrition intake closely, avoiding foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. By continuing to poorly control your sugar levels the blood vessels in your body will be damaged.
Avoid noisy environments and loud music. The loudest volume a human being can tolerate for any sustained length of time is 85 decibels. Keep in mind a concert noise level is between 105-110 decibels and a lawnmower is around 95 decibels. Every little change you make now to keep your diabetes under control from causing blood vessels from being damaged will improve your risk of hearing loss. Once a blood vessel is damaged there’s no back up supply.
If you have a family member or a friend who has diabetes persuade them to speak with an audiologist and take a hearing test if they haven’t already taken one.
