According to a recent study that was funded by NIH, National
Institute of Health, adults with diabetes have twice as high probability to
suffer from hearing loss compared to others. (National
Institute of Health NIH), (American
Diabetes Association , 2014)
The senior author of this research study, Catherine Cowie,
who works for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK), stated that hearing loss might be a complication of diabetes
which is left under recognized by most. She shared her judgment that people who
suffer from diabetes, should plan to get a hearing test. (National Institute of Health NIH)
She asserted that her research revealed a strong link
between diabetes and hearing impairment that stems from the use of a variety of
outcomes. Not only is hearing loss found more readily in diabetic patients, but
the disease also presents other limitations like affecting the speech
understanding ability of an individual. It stems from problems in hearing,
which affects the ability to comprehend speech as well.
Study Details And Outcomes
The study revealed that a significant number of researchers
found high rates of hearing loss in diabetic patients. The results were given
for a sample of the population on whom the nationally representative study was
conducted.
The tests conducted included the ability of the different
participants to easily decipher middle, low and different high frequency sounds
in both the ears. The study results revealed a direct and strong link between
diabetes and hearing loss, which was found to be consistently evident across
all the different frequencies. The link was found to be quite strong in
association when it came to testing the high frequency ranges.
Statistical details showed a trend in which any mild or high
level hearing impairment for the low or the mid frequency sounds, was estimated
to be about 21% in the weakest ears of around 399 adults who were reported to
have diabetes. This is seen as a stark contrast to the 9% recorded in a total
of 4,471 adults who had no history of suffering from diabetes.
In the case of high frequency sounds, calculated for
different mild or greater hearing impairments, in the weakest ears of the
sample candidates, around 54% were found to have a diabetic history. This was
again in sharp contrast to the 32% sample candidates who did not suffer from
the disease.
Adults who were found to have pre-diabetes symptoms, that is
a blood glucose higher than the normal one, yet not high enough to be
classified as being indicative of diabetes; displayed a 30% higher chance of
suffering from hearing loss. This was found in comparison with those
individuals who were found to have normal blood sugars that were tested after
an overnight fast. (National Institute of Health
NIH), (American Diabetes Association ,
2014)
The speech understanding ability is also challenged in
hearing loss diabetic patients, as they feel that others are mumbling or not
speaking clearly. The inability to hear properly inhibits and hinders their
ability for speech comprehension.
Research is underway to determine the reason for the
connection of diabetes with hearing loss. Researchers believe that the reason
for the strong link between both conditions might be due to the damage caused
to the nerves and blood vessels in the inner ear. The autopsy studies conducted
on diabetic patients have given evidence of such damages. (National Institute of Health NIH)
References
American Diabetes
Association . (2014, June). Diabetes and Hearing Loss. Retrieved April
2015, from American Diabetes Association :
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/seniors/diabetes-and-hearing-loss.html
National Institute of
Health NIH. Hearing Loss is Common in People with Diabetes. NIH. http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jun2008/niddk-16.htm
