by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to develop hearing loss as you would be if you’d not had diabetes according to Catherine Cowie, PhD, the director of the diabetes epidemiology program at the National Institutes of Health.
Hearing loss from diabetes affects all speech frequencies, but is more pronounced in the higher frequencies. For example, in her study, Dr. Cowie found that 32% of diabetics had low-frequency hearing loss (15% for non-diabetics), while 57% of diabetics had high-frequency hearing loss (36% for non-diabetics).
This increased hearing loss could be the result of either changes in the circulatory system resulting in less blood flow to the peripheral blood vessels (which includes the tiny arteries in the inner ear), or changes in the nervous system—typically death to some nerve endings (which also includes the hair cells [technically the auditory nerve endings] in the inner ear).
Therefore, if you have diabetes, it sure wouldn’t hurt to have regular audiograms done every year or two so you can keep tabs on your hearing. If you are losing significant hearing, then you can get hearing aids before hearing loss sneaks up on you and negatively impacts your life.
(Extracted from: Diabetes and Hearing Impairment: Audiometric Evidence From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004. Abstract 991-P).
December 29th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
My father in law has Severe hearing loss related to diabetes. Just looking for help in the northern N.J. area for him. His quality of life has deteriorated so much he does not want to be in social situations. Know of any specialists geared to hraring loss related to diabetes ?
March 20th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I had severe hearing loss as a result of type 2 diabetes. However, I discovered for myself that most of my hearing loss had to do with the foods I was eating. Once I stopped eating the foods I regained control over my diabtes, loss weight and regained my hearing.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
To RoseMary:
Please have your father’s hearing evaluated by a licensed audiologist. There are many in Northern NJ. Contact ASHA (AMERICAN SPEECH, LANGUAGE, and HEARING ASSOCIATION), AAA (AMERICAN ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY), or the (ADA) ACADEMY OF DOCTORING AUDIOLOGISTS websites for audiologists in your area. An audiologist is aware of the significance between medical conditions like diabetes and hearing loss. Please keep in mind your father’s family doctor will need to refer for the hearing evaluation. Medicare will cover hearing evaluations that are medically necessary. Hearing aids however are not covered by Medicare.