This November, Test Your Hearing in Honor of American Diabetes Month

November marks American Diabetes Month, a crucial time to spotlight diabetes and its far-reaching impact on health. While many recognize the risks diabetes poses to organs like the heart and kidneys, fewer people realize it can also affect hearing. In fact, studies suggest that people with diabetes may face double the risk of hearing loss compared to those without. To protect your overall well-being, American Hearing + Audiology encourages everyone with diabetes or prediabetes to consider the importance of regular hearing checkups. Discover why hearing tests are essential and explore how you can protect your hearing health.

Learn more about hearing loss and its consequences. 

How Diabetes Impacts Hearing Health

The Overlooked Link Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a potential complication of diabetes, but it’s often overlooked. The National Institutes of Health found that adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to develop hearing loss as those without the condition. This connection highlights the need for everyone managing diabetes to prioritize hearing care as part of their regular health routine.

The Science Behind the Connection

Diabetes can lead to hearing loss in several ways, affecting vital structures in the ear:

• Blood Vessel Damage: Excess glucose can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the inner ear. This area is filled with tiny, delicate blood vessels essential for delivering oxygen to the auditory system, and when they are damaged, they may impact hearing function.
• Nerve Damage (Neuropathy): Diabetes can also harm the auditory nerve, which transmits sound signals to the brain. When blood sugar is consistently high, it can damage nerves, including those responsible for hearing, reducing the ability to process and recognize sound accurately. Nerve damage from diabetes can make it challenging to hear clearly in noisy settings, where background noise makes it even harder to understand speech.

These issues combine to make people with diabetes particularly vulnerable to high-frequency hearing loss, meaning that they might struggle to hear certain sounds or voices, especially those at higher pitches, like women’s and children’s voices.

Recognizing Symptoms of Diabetes-Related Hearing Loss

Since diabetes-related hearing loss often progresses gradually, the symptoms can be subtle and may be mistaken for typical age-related hearing loss. Knowing the warning signs can help you detect hearing changes early:

• Difficulty Hearing in Crowded Places: Background noise can make it difficult for those with hearing loss to follow conversations.
• Turning Up the Volume: You may frequently increase the volume on your TV, radio, or phone to hear clearly.
• Straining to Hear in Conversations: Conversations, especially with multiple people, can feel challenging, causing you to miss parts of discussions or frequently ask people to repeat themselves.
• Perception That Others Are Mumbling: You might notice that voices sound muffled, making it seem like people aren’t speaking clearly.

Each of these symptoms may indicate hearing loss related to diabetes. If you recognize any of these signs, consider scheduling a hearing test to better understand your hearing health.

Discover more about hidden hearing loss. 

Protecting Your Hearing Health with Diabetes

Living with diabetes calls for careful management of blood sugar and lifestyle habits. Taking proactive steps to protect your hearing is essential. Here’s how you can safeguard your hearing health effectively.

1. Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

Keeping blood sugar levels stable is critical to managing diabetes. High glucose levels damage blood vessels and nerves, including those essential for hearing. By managing blood sugar effectively, you reduce the risk of further complications impacting your hearing and overall health.

To maintain optimal blood sugar:

• Follow Your Treatment Plan: Stick to prescribed medications, regular blood sugar monitoring, and dietary recommendations.
• Eat a Balanced Diet: Include foods that support stable blood sugar, like whole grains, lean proteins, and vegetables.
• Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps regulate blood sugar and improve circulation, supporting overall health, including hearing.

These actions can help you manage your diabetes and lower the risk of related complications, including hearing loss.

2. Schedule Regular Hearing Tests

Regular hearing tests are a key step in maintaining good hearing health, especially for people with diabetes. Early detection of hearing loss allows for better intervention and management.

Hearing specialists generally recommend an annual hearing test for individuals with diabetes. Hearing tests are quick, non-invasive, and painless, providing a comprehensive view of your hearing capabilities in both ears. By tracking changes over time, hearing tests can detect issues early and guide you toward helpful interventions, like hearing aids or sound therapy, if needed.

3. Minimize Exposure to Loud Noise

Loud noise exposure is a well-known cause of hearing loss and poses an even greater risk for people with diabetes. Managing your environment and making small lifestyle changes can significantly protect your hearing.

Here’s how you can minimize noise exposure:

• Lower Volume on Devices: Set devices like your phone, TV, and earbuds to safe volume levels. Experts recommend the 60/60 rule: listening at 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
• Avoid Noisy Environments: Avoid loud environments, like concerts or sports games. If attending these events, use ear protection, such as earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
• Take Listening Breaks: Limit continuous exposure to loud sounds by taking breaks in quiet settings, allowing your ears time to recover.

Reducing exposure to loud noise protects your hearing from unnecessary strain, especially when managing diabetes-related hearing risks.

Why Prioritizing Hearing Health Matters

Untreated hearing loss impacts more than just hearing. It can also affect mental health, making socializing difficult and leading to feelings of isolation. Studies suggest untreated hearing loss may contribute to cognitive decline over time. Addressing hearing loss early can preserve the quality of life, keeping you engaged with loved ones and everyday activities.

Take Action for American Diabetes Month

This November, commit to your health in honor of American Diabetes Month. Protecting your hearing health plays a vital role in managing diabetes effectively. Schedule a hearing test with American Hearing + Audiology to understand your current hearing status and discuss proactive steps for your health. Our team of hearing specialists offers comprehensive testing and personalized support to help you maintain your hearing health for years to come.