Diabetes can cause blurry vision, hunger, thirst and fatigue; a lesser-known associated condition is hearing loss. A study from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) found hearing loss to be about twice as common in adults with diabetes compared to those without the disease.
While the American Diabetes Association (ADA) updated its Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes in 2021 to recognize hearing loss as a comorbidity of diabetes, some doctors may still fail to recommend a hearing test at the annual checkups of diabetes patients. It’s important for those with diabetes to take an active role in their health care and seek treatment for any associated conditions they may be at risk for.
“Hearing loss may be an under-recognized complication of diabetes,” NIDCD Senior Author Catherine Cowie, Ph.D., said. “As diabetes becomes more common, the disease may become a more significant contributor to hearing loss. Our study found a strong and consistent link between hearing impairment and diabetes using a number of different outcomes.”
The reason for this connection is not definitive, but some evidence is suggestive. The NIDCD study reports that diabetes may lead to hearing loss by damaging the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear.
Affecting around 38 million people in the United States,diabetes is a significant risk factor for heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputations in adults. Prediabetes, which causes no symptoms, affects about 98 million adults in the United States.
This high incidence of prediabetes and the connection between dangerous associated conditions are encouraging many to evaluate their risk of developing diabetes. See your doctor if you think you might have prediabetes or diabetes, then schedule an appointment with our audiology team to get a hearing checkup.