Why You Need a Hearing Test if You Have Diabetes

Diabetes can damage almost any organ in your body, so it’s not surprising that research links diabetes with hearing loss. When Japanese researchers analyzed the results of 13 studies looking at diabetes and hearing loss, they found diabetics were twice as likely to be diagnosed with hearing loss relative to those without the disease. Two forms of diabetes exist: type 1 and type 2. This study did not distinguish between the two types of diabetes. Interestingly, some research shows that pre-diabetes is also linked with a greater risk for hearing impairment.

Why might diabetes be associated with hearing loss? One theory is that poorly controlled diabetes damages blood vessels that deliver blood and oxygen to the inner ear. In much the same way, diabetes harms arteries leading to the heart and can injure other blood vessels as well.

As this was an observational study, it did not necessarily say that diabetes causes hearing loss. It is possible that other factor that diabetics have in common places them at higher risk for hearing loss. Still, it suggests that if you have diabetes, you should get your hearing tested regularly. By getting a hearing test every few years, you can monitor for changes in your hearing and have the chance to correct hearing deficits as early as possible.

Any person should protect their ears from loud noises, but people with diabetes might want to take special care, as they may be more prone to hearing loss. Wearing ear plugs when you’re doing noisy things around the house – like running the vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or the lawn mower – protects the delicate hair cells in your inner ear. When these microscopic cells become damaged, it leads to hearing loss.

Keep your blood sugars well controlled, also. You can prevent some of the complications of diabetes by not letting your blood sugars stray too high. Talk to your doctor about other steps you can take to prevent the complications of diabetes, including hearing loss.

References:

• American Diabetes Association. “Diabetes and Hearing Loss”
• Diabetes Forecast. “Hearing Loss and Diabetes”