Hearing Loss Can Be an Early Indicator of Diabetes

Type 2 diabetics (who represent 95% of all diabetics in the US) are 2x as likely to have hearing loss than those who don’t have diabetes. And if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you also may be prone to sensorineural hearing loss which damages the nerves and blood vessels in the inner ear.

Studies have indicated that a diabetics’ ability to hear at low, mid, and high frequency sound levels are compromised. There is a greater link between diabetes and high frequency hearing.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey also performed a study between 1999-2004. Five thousand people with and without diabetes participated. It was found that hearing loss was experienced by 15% of people who didn’t have diabetes and by 30% of those with diabetes.

Getting your hearing tested has far greater implications than hearing loss. Hearing loss can be an early indicator of diabetes and/or other cardiovascular conditions. Another reason for diabetics to have their hearing tested is that their hearing can be near normal or normal at the time of diagnosis but can steadily degrade over time.