Diabetes and Hearing Loss

November is National Diabetes Month, and we wanted to take the opportunity to discuss the close connection between diabetes and hearing loss. According to the CDC, hearing loss is twice as common in people who have diabetes as it is in people of the same age who don't. Diabetes can lead to nerve damage that affects many parts of the body, including your hands, feet, eyes, and kidneys. Diabetes can also cause nerve damage in your ears.

Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear. Over time, low blood sugar can damage how the nerve signals travel from the inner ear to your brain. Both types of nerve damage can lead to hearing loss.

The recent article from The Hearing Journal takes you through personal experiences and audiologists' perspectives of the connection between diabetes and hearing loss. 

Make a hearing test a part of your yearly examinations and request an appointment today.