Diabetes and Hearing Loss

I have diabetes and I read recently that people with this disease have a higher risk of hearing problems. Why would this be, and is there anything I can do to prevent it?

It is true that diabetes can cause hearing loss in cases that are more severe. Not everyone will get hearing loss with diabetes, and it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow your physician's recommendations for medications and diet.

I recommend you have a hearing evaluation as a baseline for monitoring your hearing over time. This way, if there are changes to your hearing, your doctor can discuss your treatment and overall health.

Below is an excerpt from an article on diabetes and hearing loss from the American Diabetes Association:

"Diabetes and hearing loss are two of America's most widespread health concerns. Nearly 26 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and an estimated 34.5 million have some type of hearing loss. The numbers are similar — is there a link? Yes, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In fact, the NIH has found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as it is in those who don't have the disease. Also, of the 79 million adults thought to have prediabetes, the rate of hearing loss is 30 percent higher than in those with normal blood sugar. How does diabetes contribute to hearing loss? Hearing depends on small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear. Researchers believe that, over time, high blood glucose levels can damage these vessels and nerves, diminishing the ability to hear."