by Cherl Clark RN, CDE
7. October 2011 08:25
One of my friends who has been a type 1 diabetic for over 25 years asked me if diabetes can affect your hearing.
My answer to her was, “yes”. Why? She asked. I explained the amount of time you have been living with diabetes paired with high blood sugars can cause hearing loss. The tiny vessels and nerves in the inner ear can be damaged by high blood sugars. It occurs over time, so a person may not realize that it is happening, but your family and friends will.
What signs of hearing loss should you look for?
- Asking people to repeat what they say
- Difficulty hearing in noisy places
- Turning the volume up on the television or radio
- Unable to hear what people say unless you are directly facing them
Don’t forget to have your doctor check your hearing on your next visit to prevent complications.