Medical conditions
Medical conditions and hearing loss
Research has linked hearing loss to memory and thinking, balance and falls, and tinnitus. The relationships between medical conditions and hearing loss are not causal. The correlations stress the importance of having a hearing test and staying proactive with your hearing health.
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Why it matters
Why untreated hearing loss matters
When hearing fades gradually, most people simply cope: they turn the television up, avoid the noisy restaurant, let conversations drift past, and many people slowly withdraw from the things they used to enjoy.
Researchers studying large groups of older adults have found that people with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report loneliness, low mood and a faster decline in memory and thinking. That holds when they are compared with people who have normal hearing, and with people who use hearing aids.
The reasons are still being studied. The leading explanations are that the brain has to work harder to fill in missing sound, leaving less capacity for memory and attention. When less sound reaches the auditory cortex, the area of the brain responsible for hearing, the brain may experience a reduction in grey matter over time. Withdrawing from conversation also removes the everyday stimulation that keeps the mind active.
Instead of coping with hearing loss, schedule a hearing test. Hearing loss is something you can manage and treat. Taking action can support overall health and quality of life.
The conditions
Conditions connected to hearing loss
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Hearing loss and cognitive decline
Hearing loss in midlife and later has been identified in a large body of research as one of the largest potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. Research on whether treating hearing loss slows cognitive decline is encouraging, and it is still an active area of investigation in audiology research.
Read about hearing loss and cognitive decline -
Hearing loss and falls
The hearing and balance systems share the inner ear. Studies have found that people with hearing loss are more likely to fall, and that the likelihood rises with the degree of loss. Awareness of your surroundings through sound is part of staying steady.
Read about hearing loss and falls -
Hearing loss and tinnitus
Most people with tinnitus, the ringing or buzzing in the ears, also have some hearing loss, and the two often share a cause. Treating the hearing loss is frequently part of managing the tinnitus.
Read about hearing loss and tinnitus
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Diabetes
Hearing loss is roughly twice as common among people with diabetes as among those without. High blood sugar is thought to affect the small blood vessels and nerves of the inner ear. If you have diabetes, a regular hearing test is an important part of your routine care.
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Heart and circulation
The inner ear depends on a rich blood supply and is sensitive to changes in circulation. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and smoking are all associated with higher rates of hearing loss. Some researchers describe the ear as an early window on circulatory health.
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Depression and low mood
Untreated hearing loss and depression often go together, most likely because of the isolation and listening fatigue that come with struggling to hear. Many people report that addressing their hearing loss with properly fitted hearing aids lifts their mood by improving their social life.
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Medications
Certain medications, including some antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs and high doses of some pain relievers and diuretics, can affect hearing. If you are on long-term medication, mention this at your hearing test.
What we can do
What a hearing clinic can do
Our hearing clinic can measure your hearing thresholds with a comprehensive hearing assessment and inform you whether there is a hearing loss and the degree of loss (mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe, or profound). We provide counselling, and recommend and fit hearing aids to properly address the hearing loss. If your test suggests a physician referral is required, we will fax the results to your doctor. And if you have one of the conditions above, we can keep an eye on your hearing over time with regular tests.
Good to know
Questions about hearing loss and health
What diseases cause hearing loss?
Conditions associated with hearing loss include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, some autoimmune disorders, and infections such as meningitis and measles. Some medications also affect hearing. In most adults, however, the main causes remain age and noise.
Can treating hearing loss lower my risk of dementia?
Research is encouraging but not conclusive. Hearing loss is considered a modifiable risk factor, and a large recent trial found that hearing intervention slowed cognitive decline in a group of older adults at higher risk. Nobody can promise an individual result. See our cognitive decline page for a fuller picture.
Should I get my hearing tested if I have diabetes?
Yes. Hearing loss is more common with diabetes, and a baseline followed by regular tests detects any early changes. The test is complimentary at Hear & Co if you are 55 or over.
Does hearing loss cause depression?
The two are associated, most likely through isolation and listening fatigue. Addressing hearing loss often makes social life easier, which many people find lifts their mood.
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Take your hearing seriously
A complimentary hearing test for anyone 55 and over is the simplest step you can take. Book an appointment online.