Other Health Issues
& Hearing Loss
What health conditions may put a person at higher risk for developing hearing loss?
What conditions may happen as a result of hearing loss?
How can risk be reduced?
HEARING LOSS & OTHER
HEALTH CONDITIONS
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow. Studies show that a healthy cardiovascular system has a positive effect on hearing. Inadequate blood flow to the vessels in the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss. Additionally, there is a significant association between high blood pressure and hearing loss. Thus, making choices that protect the health of your heart can also help reduce the risk factor for developing hearing loss.
DIABETES
Hearing loss is twice as common in those with diabetes. Adults with high blood glucose (but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis) have a 30% higher rate of hearing loss than those with normal blood sugar. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear. Low blood sugar over time can damage how nerve signals travel from the inner ear to your brain. Both types of nerve damage can lead to hearing loss.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis can increase the risk of hearing loss in a number of ways. Osteoporosis weakens the malleus, incus and stapes—the three small bones of the inner ear. Additionally, demineralization of bone can change the composition of the ear's endolymph fluid, which is important for the cochlea to function properly.
KIDNEY DISEASE
Older adults with moderate chronic kidney disease have a higher prevalence of hearing loss because of similarities between tissues in the inner ear and kidneys. Also, toxins that accumulate in kidney failure can damage nerves, like those in the inner ear.
CANCER TREATMENT
Findings released in 2018 establish that the chemotherapy drug cisplatin can be found in the ear’s cochlea months and even years after treatment has ended. This continued exposure puts the cochlea at considerable risk for damage. The study also revealed that 40 to 80% of adults and 50% of children experience significant permanent hearing loss that can continue to worsen over time after a cancer battle. This research is important because understanding how platinum-based chemotherapies affect hearing may lead to methods for blocking or lessening the long term effects on the ear. Patients starting chemotherapy should be urged to have their hearing tested pre-treatment and post-treatment to closely monitor changes so that appropriate amplification can be prescribed.
SLEEP APNEA
Sleep apnea can reduce oxygen levels in the blood and blood flow to the inner ear, damaging the hair cells of the inner ear and leading to hearing loss.
FALL RISK
Because the inner ear is the center of balance and spatial orientation, people with even mild hearing loss are three times more likely to have a history of falling. Every additional 10 decibels of loss increases the chance of falling by 1.4 times. The CDC reports that each year one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. Treating hearing loss can be a significant impact on lessening falls.
COGNITIVE DECLINE
Those with hearing loss experience a 30 to 40% greater decline in thinking abilities compared to those with untreated hearing loss.
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Adults 50 years and older with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, emotional instability and paranoia than those who wear hearing aids.
SMOKING
Current smokers have a 70% greater risk of hearing loss than non-smokers. While caused by a host of specific factors, the overarching reasons smoking damages hearing are because of decreased blood flow and inflammation in the inner ear.
TINNITUS
Ninety percent of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss. As hearing is damaged in specific frequencies, the brain fills in the silence in those frequencies with ringing, roaring or buzzing. When hearing loss is addressed with amplification, many people notice a drop in their tinnitus severity.
VISION
Vision helps you localize where a sound is coming from. If you have vision and hearing loss, your ability to target sound location is compromised. The ears and eyes also work together for a person's sense of balance. The amplification from hearing aids helps compensate for vision loss.
Contact Johnson Audiology today!
Contact Us
Call today!
(678) 820-3843 - Cartersville office
(423) 556-7202 - Chattanooga office
(615) 882-1055 - Franklin office
(423) 556-3554 - Hixson office
(615) 640-3683 - Murfreesboro office
or use the form above to contact us.
Five locations to serve patients better
105 West Main Street
Cartersville, GA 30120
Office Hours:
Monday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: Closed
6830 Lee Highway
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Office Hours:
Monday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: Closed
3325 Aspen Grove Dr., Ste. 105
Franklin, TN 37067
(615) 640-3783
Office Hours:
Monday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: Closed
5617 Highway 153, Ste. 203
Hixson, TN 37343
Office Hours:
Monday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: Closed
804 North Thompson Lane, Suite 1F Murfreesboro, TN 37067
Office Hours:
Monday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 5.30pm
Friday: Closed
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