It’s true, hearing loss can catch you by surprise. But in some cases, hearing problems bypass the sneaking altogether, in favor of a sudden (and often alarming), cat-like pounce. It could happen like this: you get up, drag yourself out of bed, and perhaps you don’t notice until you get out of the shower but your hearing feels…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 improvement, you begin to get a little concerned.
It’s these moments when hearing loss seems to strike suddenly, as if out of nowhere, that it’s a good plan to get some medical attention. That’s because sudden hearing loss can frequently be a symptom of a bigger issue. It could be a simple matter of a blockage in your ear. It might be just a bit of earwax.
But sudden hearing loss can also be a sign of diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
You’d be forgiven for not instantly seeing the links between hearing loss and diabetes. Your pancreas and your ears seem very far apart, distance-wise.
Type 2 diabetes is an ailment in which your body has difficulty breaking down sugars into energy. When your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t process the insulin it is making, this is the result. This is why insulin injections are the most prevalent form of diabetes treatments.
What Does Diabetes Have to do With Your Hearing?
Diabetes is a common complicated affliction which can sometimes be degenerative. With the assistance of your doctor, it has to be managed carefully. But what does that have to do with your ears?
Well, it turns out that sudden hearing loss can frequently be a sign that you’re experiencing 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 precise changes have a powerful affect on the little hairs in your ears responsible for your hearing (called stereocilia). So even before other more common diabetes symptoms manifest (such as numb toes), you might go through sudden hearing loss.
What Should I do?
If you’re in this situation, and your hearing has suddenly started acting up, you’ll definitely want to get looked over by a medical professional. You may not even be aware that you have diabetes at first, but these red flags will start to clue you in.
Getting help as soon as possible will give you the largest number of possibilities, as is the case for most types of hearing loss. But you need to watch out for more than just diabetes. Here are some other possible causes of sudden hearing loss:
- Tissue growth in the ear.
- Blood pressure problems.
- Earwax buildup or other obstructions.
- Some kinds of infections.
- Blood circulation problems (these are often a result of other issues, like diabetes).
- Autoimmune conditions.
Without a proper medical diagnosis, it can be challenging to figure out what’s causing your sudden hearing loss and how to handle the root symptoms.
Sudden Hearing Loss Treatment Options
Here’s the good news, whether your sudden hearing loss is brought on by diabetes or infection (or any of these other issues), effective treatment of the underlying cause will often bring your hearing back to normal levels if you catch it early. 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 quick and effective management is the key here. There are some conditions that can result in irreversible damage if they go untreated (diabetes is, again, one of those conditions). So if you’re dealing with any type or degree of hearing loss, have it treated now.
Keep an Eye on Your Ears
If you undergo regular hearing screenings, sudden hearing loss might 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 outcomes. Other issues, like degeneration of cognitive function, can result from neglected hearing loss. Call us to schedule a hearing test.
