My Diabetes Information Blogs
What Did You Say?
06/26/08
Research
Are you a diabetic who frequently asks people to repeat what they are saying? Does it seem like everyone is whispering? It may not be them who have the problem.
A new study indicates that diabetes may be an independent factor in hearing loss. It means you don’t need any other influences such as advanced age, other diseases, trauma, or environmental influences to induce hearing loss.
The research, published in the July 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, found of 587 patients with hearing problems, 399 were diabetic. Subjects were from diverse cultures, ethnicity, age, and both genders. That equals 68 percent of those with hearing loss.
Hearing loss was determined to be more severe in the diabetics than the non-diabetics, as well. The only group which was equivalent in their loss was the oldest participants, age 60 through 69. We should note hearing deficit was not uniformly symmetrical, meaning one ear was usually more affected than the other. This was established by means of audiometric testing. The hearing test evaluates whether an individual can hear tones at certain levels of loudness and pitch.
Most individuals didn’t realize their hearing was progressively diminishing. I suspect their family members did, however. The authors of this study conclude diabetics should get routine hearing tests. There are many devices available these days which amplify sound and are discreetly hidden in the ear. There are no more stigmas attached to wearing a hearing aid than to wearing corrective lenses for your eyes.
Corie Richter is a nurse and physician's assistant who started her career as a health educator. The survivor of a myocardial infarction (heart attack) and partially successful quadruple bypass surgery, she did not let her health challenges hamper her. Neither the limitations of spinal surgery nor of diabetes have deterred her from a mission of service. She now encourages others through writing and speaking engagements to master their disabilities through education and a proactive attitude.