The Scary Link Between Hearing Loss and Cardiovascular Disease

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hearing loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!

If you suffer from hearing loss, then you know how damaging it can be to your quality of life. Losing the ability to fully interact with the world around you can cause tremendous frustration and anxiety, leading to self-imposed social isolation. On top of that, numerous studies now show that there is a strong link between hearing loss and cognitive decline, as the atrophy in the hearing centers of the brain can lead to memory loss and dementia.

Now though, it seems as though a new threat has emerged for people with hearing loss. According to the team behind a recent study, there is a strong correlation between hearing loss and cardiovascular disease.

Your Hearing and Your Heart

On the surface, it would seem like your hearing ability and your cardiovascular system wouldn't have much of an impact on each other. In a recent study, however, researchers examined the correlation between hearing ability and heart health. For the study, the team examined the medical records of more than 400 patients between the ages of 80 and 106.

To determine the rate of hearing loss, the researchers looked at the results of hearing tests in conjunction with word recognition scores. Meanwhile, cardiovascular issues were determined through a number of factors, including hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, family history and personal history of cardiovascular trauma.

Ultimately, the research team concluded that all of the participants suffered from some type of hearing loss, with nearly 340 demonstrating symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss. At the same time, the patients who had the most significant amount of hearing loss also suffered from cardiovascular issues, with the most common being hypertension. Also, patients who had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease scored the lowest on the hearing exams and had the poorest word recognition scores.

So what do these results tell us? Previous studies have shown that cardiovascular issues limit proper blood flow. The tiny, hair-like cells in the inner ear that absorb sounds are incredibly delicate, which means they're likely to be damaged if they receive less blood. At the same time, people with undiagnosed hearing loss are less likely to follow medical advice on other issues, since they often don't fully hear their doctors’ instructions. As a result, their cardiovascular problems may not be properly treated, which could damage their hearing even further.

The lesson in all of this is that the systems in the body are all connected. If one starts to fail, the others are likely to follow. So to keep both hearing loss and cardiovascular issues at bay, it's important to get regular checkups from a physician and implement a regular medical regimen.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hearing loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!