Diabetes, a disease affecting blood sugar levels, can lead to nerve damage of many parts of the body, including hands, feet and eyes. There is now research showing diabetes can also cause permanent nerve damage in the inner ear as well.

Why

  • High blood sugar can affect blood supply and oxygen supply to the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear.
  • Eventually, this can cause damage to the inner ear, causing permanent sensorineural hearing loss.
  • According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, low blood sugar can also affect the transmission of the auditory signal to the brain, causing hearing loss as well.

Statistics

  • People with diabetes are 2x as likely to have hearing loss when compared with people without diabetes, and are the same age (CDC)
  • People who are pre-diabetic are 30% more likely to have hearing loss than people without diabetes
    *see reference below

Treatment

It is important to start scheduling annual hearing tests as soon as diabetes is diagnosed. People with diabetes should be informed that diabetes is a potential complication of hearing loss and annual hearing tests are encouraged.  If damage to the inner ear is present and detected early enough, hearing aids will be more effective in treating the hearing loss.

References

  1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Diabetes and Hearing Loss

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Toronto Hearing Consultants

2368 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6S 1P5

(416) 760-7999

Toronto Hearing Consultants is located on the North West corner of Bloor St W and Willard Ave.

There is ample parking on the street and in the Green P parking lot on Willard Ave, beside Zaza Espresso. The clinic is accessible by subway, and is located between Runnymede and Jane Station.

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Open Hours
Monday 9:30am — 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am — 6:00pm
Wednesday 9:30am — 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am — 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am — 4:30pm
*Saturday appointments available upon request. Contact our team.