These Diseases Have Been Connected to Hearing Loss

Man talking with healthcare provider about his diabetes and hearing loss.

Your body is similar to an ecosystem. In nature, all of the fish and birds will suffer if something happens to the pond; and when the birds go away so too do all of the animals and plants that depend on those birds. We might not know it but our body functions on very similar principals. That’s the reason why something that seems isolated, such as hearing loss, can be connected to a wide variety of other diseases and ailments.

In a sense, that’s simply more evidence of your body’s ecosystem-like interdependence. When something affects your hearing, it might also influence your brain. These conditions are referred to as comorbid, a term that is specialized and signifies when two conditions have an affect on each other but don’t always have a cause and effect connection.

The conditions that are comorbid with hearing loss can give us lots of information regarding our bodies’ ecosystems.

Hearing Loss And The Conditions That Are Linked to it

So, let’s assume that you’ve been noticing the symptoms of hearing loss for the past several months. It’s more difficult to follow along with discussions in restaurants. You’ve been cranking the volume up on your television. And some sounds just feel a little further away. It would be a good choice at this point to set up an appointment with a hearing professional.

Your hearing loss is linked to several health problems whether your aware of it or not. Comorbidity with hearing loss has been documented with the following health problems.

  • Vertigo and falls: your primary tool for balance is your inner ear. There are some forms of hearing loss that can play havoc with your inner ear, leading to dizziness and vertigo. Any loss of balance can, of course, cause falls, and as you get older, falls can become increasingly hazardous.
  • Depression: social isolation brought on by hearing loss can cause a whole range of issues, some of which relate to your mental health. So it’s no surprise that study after study finds anxiety and depression have extremely high comorbidity rates with hearing loss.
  • Dementia: neglected hearing loss has been linked to a higher chance of dementia, although the underlying cause of that relationship is uncertain. Many of these incidents of dementia and also cognitive decline can be slowed, according to research, by using hearing aids.
  • Cardiovascular disease: on occasion hearing loss doesn’t have anything to connect it with cardiovascular conditions. But at times hearing loss can be worsened by cardiovascular disease. The reason for this is that trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear is one of the first signs of cardiovascular disease. As that trauma gets worse, your hearing could suffer as a result.
  • Diabetes: additionally, diabetes can have a negative affect on your nervous system all over your body (particularly in your extremities). one of the areas particularly likely to be affected are the nerves in the ear. This damage can cause loss of hearing all on its own. But your symptoms can be compounded because diabetes related nerve damage can make you more prone to hearing loss caused by other factors.

Is There Anything That You Can do?

It can seem a little intimidating when all those health conditions get added together. But one thing should be kept in mind: enormous positive affect can be gained by managing your hearing loss. Researchers and scientists recognize that if hearing loss is addressed, the risk of dementia substantially lowers even though they don’t really understand precisely why hearing loss and dementia manifest together to begin with.

So the best way to go, regardless of what comorbid condition you might be worried about, is to get your hearing checked.

Part of an Ecosystem

This is the reason why health care professionals are rethinking the importance of how to treat hearing loss. Your ears are being considered as a part of your total health profile instead of being a specific and limited issue. We’re beginning to think about the body as an interrelated environment in other words. Hearing loss isn’t always an isolated scenario. So it’s significant to pay attention to your health as a whole.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Questions?
Talk To Us.

To send us a non-urgent message use the message us button on the bottom right of your screen.

Our contact form is for non-urgent questions only and should not be used for life threatening or urgent medical questions. You should contact 911 for life threatening emergencies.