It’s true, hearing loss can catch you by surprise. But there are times when hearing problems suddenly pounce you like a cat instead of sneaking up on you. Here’s a hypothetical: You get up one morning and go into the shower and when you get out you notice your hearing seems off or different. Muffled, maybe.
At first, you chalk it up to water in your ears, but when your hearing doesn’t get any better as the day progresses, you get a bit more anxious.
At times like these, when you have a sudden profound difference in your hearing, you should seek medical help. That’s because sudden hearing loss can frequently be a symptom of a bigger issue. Sometimes, that larger problem can be a blockage in your ear. It may be just a bit of earwax.
But sudden hearing loss can also be a sign of diabetes.
Diabetes – What is it?
If you don’t immediately identify the link between hearing loss and diabetes that would be understandable. Your ears and your pancreas seem really far apart, distance-wise.
With type 2 diabetes, sugars in your body aren’t efficiently broken down and turned into energy. This occurs because your body either isn’t making enough insulin or it’s not reacting to the insulin that you do produce. That’s why treatments for diabetes usually involve injections or infusions of insulin.
What is The Connection Between Diabetes And Hearing?
Diabetes is a common complicated condition which can sometimes be degenerative. It needs to be managed cautiously, normally with the help of your doctor. But what does that have to do with your hearing?
Believe it or not, a pretty common indicator of type 2 diabetes is sudden hearing loss. Collateral damage to other areas of the body is common with diabetes which frequently has an affect on blood vessels and nerves. These exact changes have a powerful affect on the tiny hairs in your ears responsible for your hearing (called stereocilia). So you might suffer sudden hearing loss even before other, more traditional symptoms of diabetes appear (numb toes, for example).
What Should I do?
If you’re in this scenario, and your hearing has suddenly started acting up, you’ll certainly want to get looked at by a medical professional. Diabetes, for example, will often be completely symptomless at first, so you might not even realize you have it until you begin to observe some of these warning signs.
As is the situation with most types of hearing loss, the sooner you get treatment, the more options you’ll have. But you should keep an eye out for more than just diabetes. Sudden hearing loss can also be caused by:
- Earwax buildup or other obstructions.
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Growth of tissue in the ear.
- Problems with blood circulation (often the consequence of other issues including diabetes).
- Infections of various types.
- Problems with your blood pressure.
Without an appropriate medical diagnosis, it can be difficult to figure out the cause of your sudden hearing loss and how to manage the root symptoms.
Sudden Hearing Loss Treatment Solutions
Here’s the good news, whether your sudden hearing loss is caused by diabetes or infection (or any of these other problems), successful treatment of the underlying cause will often bring your hearing back to healthy levels if you recognize it early. If you promptly address the problem, your hearing is likely to return to normal once the blockage is removed, or in the case of diabetes, once you address the circulation problems.
But quick and efficient treatment is the key here. If they are not treated in time, some conditions, including diabetes, will result in permanent harm to your hearing. So if you’re dealing with any type or amount of hearing loss, have it treated now.
Pay Attention to Your Hearing
If you undergo regular hearing screenings, sudden hearing loss could be easier to detect and you might stop it from sneaking up on you by detecting it sooner. These screenings can typically uncover specific hearing issues before they become obvious to you.
Hearing loss and diabetes have one other thing in common: it’s best to get them treated as soon as possible. Neglected hearing loss can lead to other health concerns like loss of cognitive function. Contact us to schedule a hearing test.