Patients with Type 2 diabetes face increased risk of hearing loss

by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: MART PRODUCTION

The HealthDay website reports that a recent study showed an association between Type 2 diabetes and hearing loss.

Why is this important? Type 2 diabetes, formerly called maturity onset diabetes, is usually associated with obesity, inactivity and a poor quality diet. Early signs pointing to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes include a fasting elevated blood sugar, not high enough to diagnose diabetes per se. This is called prediabetes. A program of exercise, weight reduction and a better diet can prevent prediabetes from becoming Type 2 diabetes.

Why would patients with Type 2 diabetes be at increased risk for hearing loss? Diabetic patients are at increased risk of vascular disease, and there is a weak association between vascular disease and hearing loss. A correlation, as reported in this study, does not indicate causation.

Regardless of whether further research shows that having Type 2 diabetes causes hearing loss, prevention is still better than treatment. Prevention of Type 2 diabetes is easy. One should maintain a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet and exercise daily. Prevention of noise-induced hearing loss is also easy; if something sounds loud, it’s too loud. Turn down the volume, leave the noisy environment or use hearing protection and your ears should last a lifetime.

Losing weight, eating a healthy diet and getting exercise to prevent Type 2 diabetes and avoiding noise-induced hearing loss by reducing noise exposure cannot be done by doctors or nurses. Individuals must choose to protect their health.

Living without diabetes and hearing loss will be a better life for individuals and their families, friends and coworkers.