# News About Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss is Common in People with Diabetes. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) new research found that
hearing loss may be an under-recognized complication of diabetes. The NIH study found a strong and
consistent link between hearing impairment and diabetes. Diabetes may lead to hearing loss by damaging
the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear, the researchers suggest. Autopsy studies of diabetes patients
have shown evidence of such damage.

> Articles:

> Hearing impairment – an under-recognized complication of diabetes?
> from Diabetes Voice magazine

> Hearing Loss and Diabetes: coincidence or Connection?
> from Scientific Insights

The inner ear consists of the cochlea that is a highly vascular structure that connects to the auditory nerve
or cranial nerve eight. Because the disease of diabetes damages the nerves and blood vessels of the
cochlea, the cochlea is unable to do its job of coding acoustic signals into electrical signals, which is the
language of the brain. This results in a hearing loss.
At Echo Hearing Center, we recommend a base line hearing test for all individuals with diabetes. We believe
by improving hearing we can improve quality of life.

Click here to view articles and learn more (each article will open in PDF format in a new window):

- Hearing Loss in Older Adults: Who’s Listening?
  by Frank R. Lin, PhD from the Journal of the American Medical Association
- Hearing Deficits in the Older Patient: “I Didn’t Notice Anything”
  James T. Pacala, MD, MS & Bevan Yueh, MD, MPH from the Journal of the American Medical Association
- Relationship of Hearing Impairment to Dementia and Cognitive Dysfunction in Older Adults
  from the Journal of the American Medical Association
- The Consequences of Untreated Hearing Loss in Older Persons
  from a study by The National Council on the Aging. Includes an overview of Benefits of Treatment, Barriers to Treatment, Understand the Effects on Individuals, Increase Family Awareness, and more.
- Hearing Loss and Falls Among Older Adults in the United States
  from the Archives of Internal Medicine
- Hearing Loss: A growing problem that affects quality of life
  from the National Academy on an Aging Society

To look for additional resources about hearing please visit The National Institutes of Health, www.nih.gov

Copyright © 2013 Echo Hearing Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Website Privacy Policy