Let’s face it, there’s no getting away from aging, and with it often comes hearing loss. You can take some steps to look younger but you’re still getting older. But did you know that hearing loss has also been connected to health issues related to aging that are treatable, and in some instances, preventable? Let’s take a look at some examples that may surprise you.

1. Diabetes can affect your hearing

So it’s fairly well established that diabetes is connected to a higher risk of hearing loss. But why would diabetes put you at a higher risk of developing hearing loss? Science is at somewhat of a loss here. Diabetes has been known to damage the kidneys, eyes, and extremities. Blood vessels in the inner ear might, theoretically, be getting destroyed in a similar way. But overall health management could also be a consideration. A 2015 study found that people with overlooked diabetes had worse results than individuals who were treating and managing their diabetes. If you are concerned that you might be prediabetic or have overlooked diabetes, it’s essential to talk with a physician and have your blood sugar checked. By the same token, if you have trouble hearing, it’s a good plan to contact us.

2. Increased risk of falling associated with hearing loss

Why would your chance of falling go up if you have hearing loss? Our sense of balance is, to some extent, regulated by our ears. But there are other reasons why falls are more likely if you have loss of hearing. Research was carried out on individuals who have hearing loss who have recently fallen. The study didn’t detail the cause of the falls but it did conjecture that missing relevant sounds, like a car honking, could be a huge part of the cause. At the same time, if you’re working hard to concentrate on the sounds around you, you could be distracted to your environment and that may also result in a higher risk of having a fall. Luckily, your risk of experiencing a fall is reduced by having your hearing loss treated.

3. Safeguard your hearing by managing high blood pressure

Multiple studies have revealed that hearing loss is connected to high blood pressure, and some have found that high blood pressure might actually hasten age-related hearing loss. Clearly, this is not the sort of comforting news that makes your blood pressure drop. But it’s a connection that’s been found pretty consistently, even when controlling for variables like noise exposure and whether you’re a smoker. (You should never smoke!) Gender appears to be the only significant variable: If you’re a man, the link between high blood pressure and hearing loss is even stronger.

Your ears have a close relation to your circulatory system. Two of your body’s main arteries run right near your ears and it consists of many tiny blood vessels. The noise that people hear when they have tinnitus is often their own blood pumping as a consequence of high blood pressure. When your tinnitus symptoms are the result of your own pulse, it’s known as pulsatile tinnitus. But high blood pressure could also possibly result in physical harm to your ears, that’s the primary theory as to why it would hasten hearing loss. If your heart is pumping harder, there’s more pressure behind each beat. That could possibly harm the smaller blood arteries in your ears. Through medical intervention and lifestyle improvement, blood pressure can be managed. But even if you don’t think you’re old enough for age-related hearing loss, if you’re having trouble hearing, you should contact us for a hearing exam.

4. Dementia and hearing loss

It’s scary stuff, but it’s significant to mention that while the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline has been well documented, scientists have been less productive at figuring out why the two are so strongly linked. A prevalent theory is that having trouble hearing can cause people to avoid social situations and that social withdrawal, and lack of cognitive stimulation, can be incapacitating. The stress of hearing loss overloading the brain is another idea. When your brain is working overtime to process sound, there might not be very much brainpower left for things like memory. Playing “brain games” and keeping your social life active can be really helpful but the number one thing you can do is manage your hearing loss. If you’re able to hear well, social scenarios are easier to deal with, and you’ll be able to focus on the important stuff instead of attempting to figure out what someone just said.

Make an appointment with us right away if you suspect you might be experiencing hearing loss.

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3889339/