Hearing Loss – Common In People With Diabetes

By Kathy Mellott, AuD

Hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with diabetes compared to those who do not have the disease, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Hearing loss may be an under-recognized complication of diabetes. As diabetes becomes more common, the disease may become a more significant contributor to hearing loss,” said senior author Catherine Cowie, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), who suggested that people with diabetes should consider having their hearing tested. “Our study found a strong and consistent link between hearing impairment and diabetes using a number of different outcomes.”

Adults with pre-diabetes, whose blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis, had a 30% higher rate of hearing loss compared to those with normal blood sugar tested after an overnight fast.

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. Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for up to 95% of diabetes cases in the United States usually appears after age 40, and is more common in overweight, inactive people and in those with a family history of diabetes.

Individuals with a diagnosis of diabetes, with or without symptoms of hearing loss, should be tested to establish a baseline. Hearing evaluations are usually covered by insurance.