The Connection Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss

Diabetics suffer from several additional medical issues that often accompany the disease (comorbidities), one of those being hearing loss. A recent study (Ren et al 2017) found “Compared with healthy controls, diabetic patients had higher mean hearing thresholds…” Higher test thresholds represent significant hearing loss. Hearing loss is common in type 2 Diabetes patients. Diabetic neuropathic factors may explain the underlying mechanism of the association between diabetes and hearing loss.”

Protect Yourself Against Hearing Loss as a Complication of Diabetes

If you have diabetes, the best way to prevent hearing loss is to follow the diet, exercise, and medication recommendations of your physician. The best preventive measure for any diabetes complication, including hearing loss, is to maintain control of your blood sugar levels.

Hearing loss has been found to impact the quality of a person’s life in many ways. For example, those who suffer from hearing loss often suffer from isolation and depression. If you have diabetes, to prevent hearing loss or to reduce its negative influence in your life, take the following actions:

• Take a hearing test now so that you have a baseline measurement of your current hearing level.
• Regularly monitor your hearing by having annual hearing tests.
• If you have any symptoms of hearing loss, have your hearing checked immediately. The sooner you have treatment, the easier it is to lessen the impact the loss will have on your daily life and work.

A hearing test takes very little time and is painless. Whether you are currently experiencing symptoms of hearing loss, or need your hearing baseline to be on record, contact us for a comprehensive hearing evaluation.

Ren, et al. Hearing Loss in Type 2 Diabetes in Association with Diabetic Neuropathy Hearing Loss in Type 2 Diabetes in Association with Diabetic Neuropathy. Archives of Medical Research Volume 48, Issue 7, October 2017, Pages 631-637