Hearing Loss Can be Caused by Many Health Conditions
Studies reveal that you are twice as likely to struggle with hearing loss if you have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. This fact is surprising for people who think of hearing loss as a problem associated with getting old or noise damage. Almost 500,000 of the1.9 million people diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 were under the age of 44. Some form of hearing loss likely affects at least 250,000 of the younger people who have this disease.
The main point is that diabetes is just one of several illnesses that can cost a person their hearing. Growing old is a significant aspect both in disease and loss of hearing but what is the link between these disorders and ear health? These diseases that cause loss of hearing should be taken into consideration.
Diabetes
What the connection is between diabetes and hearing loss is not clear but clinical research seems to indicate there is one. A condition that suggests a person may develop type 2 diabetes, called prediabetes, causes people to lose their hearing 30 percent faster than people who don’t have it.
Even though there are some theories, researchers still don’t understand why this happens. It is feasible that harm to the blood vessels that feed the inner ear might be caused by high glucose levels. That’s a realistic assumption since diabetes is known to affect circulation.
Meningitis
Hearing loss is a symptom of this infectious disease. Because of infection, the membranes that cover the spine and brain become inflamed and that defines meningitis. Studies show that 30 percent of people who have this condition will also lose their hearing, either in part or in full. Among the American youth, this infection is the second leading cause of hearing loss.
The delicate nerves which relay signals to the inner ear are potentially damaged by meningitis. The brain has no way to interpret sound without these signals.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella label that relates to ailments that involve the heart or blood vessels. This category contains these common diseases:
- Heart failure
- Peripheral artery disease
- Heart attack
- Atherosclerosis
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
Age related hearing loss is normally linked to cardiovascular diseases. The inner ear is susceptible to damage. When there is an alteration of the blood flow, it may not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to thrive, and damage to the inner ear then leads to hearing loss.
Chronic Kidney Disease
A 2012 study published in The Laryngoscope found that people with this condition also had an increased risk of hearing loss. A separate study found that chance to be as high as 43 percent. However, this connection may be a coincidence. There are many of the same risk factors with kidney disease and other conditions associated with high blood pressure.
Toxins that accumulate in the blood as a result of kidney failure may also be to blame, theoretically. The connection that the nerves have with the brain might be closed off due to damage to the ear by these toxins.
Dementia
Dementia and hearing loss have a two way effect on each other. A person’s risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease appears to be increased by cognitive impairment. Brain shrinkage and atrophy are the causes of dementia. Trouble hearing can accelerate that process.
The other side of the coin is true, also. Someone who has dementia even though there is normal hearing will show a decline in their hearing as injury to the brain increases.
Mumps
At an early age the viral infection mumps can cause children to lose their hearing. Hearing loss might impact both ears or only one side. The reason for this is that the cochlea of the inner ear is damaged by the virus. Signals are sent to the brain by this part of the ear. The positive thing is, due to vaccination mumps are pretty rare today. Not everyone who has the mumps will suffer from hearing loss.
Chronic Ear Infections
For the majority of people, the random ear infection is not much of a risk because treatment gets rid of it. For some, however, repeated infections take a toll on the tiny components that are required for hearing such as the eardrum or the small bones in the middle ear. This form of hearing loss is known as conductive, and it means that sound cannot reach the inner ear with enough energy, so no messages are sent to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss or nerve damage can also be caused by infections.
Many of the diseases that can cause hearing loss can be avoided by prevention. A healthy diet, plenty of exercise and regular sleep habits really help with protecting your ear health throughout your life. You should also get regular hearing exams to make sure your ears stay healthy.
