Did you know hearing loss is associated with the host of other physical and mental health issues including diabetes, dementia, anxiety and depression? This symptom often goes unacknowledged and untreated which leads to severe health concerns later on.
Hearing loss may signal other important health issues.
- Cardiovascular Disease: Research data reveals a link between hearing health and cardiovascular health. Our complex hearing systems are sensitive to changes in blood flow and inadequate blood flow can damage hearing. Researchers theorize that hearing loss can result from damage to blood vessels in the inner ear. Damaged blood vessels reduce blood flow, causing possible permanent damage to the structures in the inner ear.T he connection between hearing health and cardiovascular health has led many professionals to believe the ear may be a window into the heart.
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia’s risk may be up to five times higher with hearing loss.
- Diabetes: Hearing loss from diabetes is usually more mild and it can sometimes take quite a while before you realize there’s an issue. Hearing loss is two times as likely for those with diabetes.
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): Hearing loss is commonly linked to syndromal kidney disease. The study suggests a strong tie to CKD in general. The link can be explained by structural and functional similarities between tissues in the inner ear and in the kidney. Additionally, toxins that accumulate in kidney failure can damage nerves, including those in the inner ear.
- Hearing loss increases risk of falling by three folds.
- Hearing loss and Depression: Study found a significant association between hearing impairment and moderate to severe depression, but the cause and effect relationship between hearing loss and depression can be swapped, meaning depression could cause hearing loss, but hearing loss could also lead to depression.
The hearing evaluation and treatment typically involve a team of specialists that includes an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, also called an otolaryngologist, and an audiologist. It also involves understanding the nature of hearing loss, after evaluating patients’ history. With an EMR system like CloudClinik ensuring a patient’s on going health and tracking treatment courses of a particular patient becomes easy. The system stores every detail related to patient, their vitals, medical history, prescribed medicines, allergies, their medical reports etc. Moreover, with CloudClinik a doctor can quickly request electronic consultation and transfer information for a second opinion, which becomes necessary in the case of condition like Hearing loss. Quick access to information and quality treatment can make all the difference in patient’s treatment.
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