Hearing loss can sneak up on you, it’s true. But there are times when hearing issues suddenly pounce you like a cat rather than 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. Maybe muffled.
You just assume that you got some water in your ears, but as the day continues, and there’s no difference, you start to get a bit worried.
It’s these moments when hearing loss seems to attack suddenly, as if out of nowhere, that it’s a good idea to get some medical assistance. That’s because sudden hearing loss can frequently be a symptom of a bigger issue. It could be a simple matter of an obstruction in your ear. Maybe some earwax.
And sometimes that sudden hearing loss can be related to diabetes.
Diabetes – What is it?
If you don’t instantly identify the connection between hearing loss and diabetes that would be understandable. Your pancreas seems a long way from your ears.
With type 2 diabetes, sugars in your body aren’t properly broken down and converted into energy. When your body doesn’t generate a sufficient amount of insulin or can’t process the insulin it is producing, this is the result. That’s why treatments for diabetes usually involve injections or infusions of insulin.
What Does Diabetes Have to do With Your Hearing?
Diabetes is a common complex affliction which can often be degenerative. It needs to be handled carefully, usually with the help of your physician. So how is that related to your hearing?
Well, it turns out that sudden hearing loss can often be a sign that you’re developing type 2 diabetes. Collateral damage to other areas of the body is common with diabetes which often has an impact on blood vessels and nerves. These exact changes have a strong affect on the delicate hairs in your ears responsible for your hearing (called stereocilia). So even before other more common diabetes symptoms show up (like numb toes), you may experience sudden hearing loss.
Is There Anything I Can Do?
You’ii want to get medical help if your hearing has suddenly started giving you trouble. Diabetes, for example, will frequently be completely symptomless initially, so you might not even recognize you have it until you start to observe some of these red flags.
Seeking out help as soon as possible will give you the greatest number of possibilities, as is the situation for most forms of hearing loss. But it’s not just diabetes you need to watch for. Here are some other possible triggers of sudden hearing loss:
- Infections of varied types.
- Blood circulation issues (these are often a result of other issues, like diabetes).
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Issues with your blood pressure.
- Tissue growth in the ear.
- Earwax buildup or other obstructions.
It can be difficult to know what’s causing your sudden hearing loss or what to do about it without a medical diagnosis.
Treatment Solutions For Sudden Hearing Loss
Regardless of which of these your sudden hearing loss is triggered by, if you catch it early enough, your hearing will usually go back to normal with proper treatment. 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 that truly does rely on quick and effective treatment. There are some disorders that can cause permanent damage if they go untreated (diabetes is, again, one of those conditions). So it’s essential that you find medical treatment as quickly as you can, and if you’re experiencing hearing loss get that treated.
Keep an Eye on Your Ears
If you undergo regular hearing screenings, sudden hearing loss may be easier to identify and you might stop it from sneaking up on you by detecting it sooner. Specific hearing issues can be identified in these screenings before you notice them.
There’s one more thing that diabetes and hearing loss share, treating them sooner will bring better results. Untreated hearing loss can lead to other health concerns such as loss of cognitive function. Make an appointment with us for a hearing test right away.