Medical conditions do not operate in isolation, especially as we get older and potentially experience multiple concurrent medical conditions. The symptoms of multiple conditions can compound and make managing those symptoms more complicated, while in other cases, some medical conditions can cause or exacerbate others.
Toronto Hearing Consultants is sensitive to the complications that can arise from or in conjunction with hearing loss. Hearing loss has been linked to other serious medical conditions such as dementia, difficulty walking, and risk of injury. Hearing loss can also be caused by other conditions, such as diabetes. Taking care of your health may mean managing medical conditions to prevent them from creating further medical complications.
Hearing Loss and Dementia
Is there a correlation between hearing loss and dementia? Unfortunately, research shows that untreated hearing loss is connected to cognitive decline and increases the risk of developing dementia. Hearing loss can strain your mental capabilities, forcing your brain to work harder to catch and interpret sounds and fill in the gaps in conversation. That stress may also lead to individuals becoming more socially isolated as they feel tired or worn out after conversations.
Does Hearing Loss Cause Dementia?
John Hopkins expert Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., led a study tracking 639 adults over 12 years to identify whether there was a connection between hearing loss and dementia risks. The study concluded that mild hearing loss doubled the risk of an adult developing dementia later on in life, moderate hearing loss tripled the risk factor, and severe hearing loss made it five times more likely for an adult to develop dementia.
The study found a clear link between hearing loss and dementia. However, there is also a great deal of research into other factors that can contribute to the development of dementia. Hearing loss is not the sole cause of dementia, and there is further research to be conducted.
One of the more exciting areas of research is the potential for hearing aids to reduce dementia risks among adults with hearing loss. There is now evidence that hearing aids can slow down cognitive decline. There is as much as a 50%reduction in the risk of developing dementia depending on other medical conditions.
Hearing loss is a treatable condition. Hearing aids restore your ability to participate in conversations, pick up on sounds in your environment, and help you keep your balance. Hearing aids allow you to be more active in your community and with family and friends, and be more confident at the workplace. The look and size of hearing aids have also evolved to become smaller and more discreet. There is no reason not to wear hearing aids if you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, and doing so can prevent much more serious medical conditions down the line.
Diabetes and Hearing Loss
The connection between diabetes and hearing loss can work the other way. Diabetes has been associated with the development of other medical conditions, including neuropathy, coronary artery disease, kidney failure, retinopathy (which can lead to blindness), and others. But does diabetes cause hearing loss?
Does Diabetes Cause Hearing Loss?
One of the more dangerous risks associated with diabetes is nerve damage, which can affect many parts of the body, including your ears. Low blood sugar over an extended period of time can damage the nerves that affect your hearing, leading to permanent hearing loss. High blood sugar levels can also damage small blood vessels and the nerves in the inner ear.
People with diabetes are twice as likely to experience hearing loss as others, and even those who are prediabetic have a 30% higher rate of hearing loss.
Most forms of hearing loss cannot be reversed. If you are diabetic, you can protect your ears by maintaining your blood sugar as close to target levels as you can, getting your hearing checked annually, and avoiding exposure to loud noises.
What Medical Conditions Cause Ringing in the Ears?
Ringing in your ears, as well as hearing sounds such as whistling, roaring, chirping, or “whooshing,” is a medical condition known as tinnitus. While the causes of tinnitus are not fully known, the condition has been linked to several causes. Some of the most common causes of tinnitus include:
- Exposure to noise, including sudden loud noise or long-term exposure to noise at the workplace.
- Medications that may have tinnitus as a side effect. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, anti-cancer medications, some antibiotics, anti-malaria medications, and antidepressants are frequently associated with tinnitus as a side effect.
- Ear infection or a buildup of earwax blocking the ear canal.
There are also ongoing medical conditions that can result in tinnitus. These include:
- Hearing loss, although not everyone who experiences hearing loss will necessarily develop tinnitus.
- Head or neck injuries that damage the structure of the ear.
- Menière’s disease, a disorder with the inner ear that leads to issues with balance as well as hearing loss.
- Disorders related to tumours, such as acoustic tumours in the inner ear and brain.
- Chronic conditions including diabetes, anemia, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.
Managing Hearing Loss with a Hearing Aid
Hearing loss does not have to be an impediment to your life. Hearing aids allow you to hear speech and sounds more clearly, decrease the strain placed on your brain by having to fill in the gaps in conversation, improve your communication skills with friends, family, and coworkers, and decrease your risks of falling as you become more sensitive to environmental sounds.
Nevertheless, many remain reluctant to wear hearing aids because they believe in outdated hearing loss myths. Many people tell themselves that their hearing is “not that bad,” delaying getting their hearing tested or getting help. On average, hearing aid users wait 10 years later than they should before getting a hearing aid. Wearing hearing aids earlier can help prevent other serious medical conditions like dementia. Plus, hearing aids can make life richer and easier.
Others may feel that wearing a hearing aid will mean that they are old. There are all kinds of anxieties we have about aging, but letting them get in the way of participating in a conversation and enjoying the company of others can be much more aging. Your brain stays younger when you are active and connecting with others.
Hearing is an integral part of your health. Many medical conditions can be interconnected, and managing one condition can help you prevent or delay the development of another.