The relationship between hearing health and overall health
Is there acorrelation between Health and Hearing?
Although not discussed frequently, there is a connection between our overall health and our hearing.
Osteoporosis, for example, has been linked to hearing loss. In fact, there is a nearly 40% increased risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss according to one study.
Additionally, arthritis has been shown to be correlated with hearing loss. A 2018 study in Clinical Rheumatology found significantly higher rates of hearing loss in those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Hearing loss and tinnitus may result from poorfunctioning kidneys including chronic kidney disease (CPK), Alport Syndrome, oreven environmental toxicity. Further exacerbating this relationship may beelectrolyte Imbalances.
Often forgotten is the relationship of each systemthroughout the body. Each part is interconnected to another part. Seeminglyunrelated health issues can have impacts on physiology throughout the body.
Hearingloss and Depression- Is there a Link?
A vicious circle may entail when we review healthand hearing. Poor overall health may decrease hearing sensibility. But poorhearing sensitivity has been associated with depression, loneliness, andcognitive decline.
In fact, a 2015 study in JAMA Otolaryngology HeadNeck Surgery revealed a strong association between hearing loss and depression,especially among women.
Additionally, other studies are revealing thatreduced auditory nerve stimulation to the brain due to hearing loss can causecognitive decline. This decline in hearing sensitivity is directly related tothe severity of the cognitive decline. There are three potential explanationsfor this correlation:
- Hearing loss may lead to loneliness and depression- known risk factorsfor cognitive decline.
- Hearing loss causes the brain to focus on faint sounds to the detrimentof memory and reasoning.
Clearly, there is a direct correlation betweenhealth and hearing. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through diet, lifestyle,and stress reduction can assist in maintaining healthy hearing. Cognitivedecline, depression, and loneliness may be attributed to hearing loss.
If you are experiencing hearing loss, determiningif you are a candidate for hearing devices may provide great benefit inreducing the likelihood of depression, cognitive decline, and social isolation.Recent changes to the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act in 2022 have madehearing aids more affordable than ever, easily accessible, and discrete.
Don’t wait – your health and hearing depend on it!
