Have you set your New Year resolutions yet? What could we do better…lose weight, exercise more, drink more water, wear my hearing protection, get outside more frequently, do a better job staying in contact with friends and family? Most of us make resolutions to improve our health.

Regardless of your political views, there is an excitement in the air to “make America healthy again.” President-Elect Trump has promised to reduce pharmaceutical ads on TV, reduce obesity in children and adults by reducing ultra processed food intake. We are excited to see what happens in 2025.

As a result, I decided to spend the next several months reviewing how many health problems can affect our auditory system. Your ears are more than the external pinna we see where we rest our glasses or show off our fancy earrings. Your ears send information all the way up to the brain where we process what we hear. Along the way there are fluid transfers, muscle contracts, neural synapsis, etc.

With increasing age, the risk of developing chronic health conditions also increases, and many older people suffer from multiple co-existing health conditions: Mobility restrictions, Cognitive impairment, Psychosocial health problems, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, Stroke, Arthritis, and Cancer.

Today we focus on diabetes. More than thirty-eight million people in the United States have diabetes, and a recent study found that hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes as it is in those who do not have diabetes. Also, of the nearly ninety-eight million adults in the United States who have prediabetes, the rate of hearing loss is 30 percent higher than in those with normal glucose (blood sugar).

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder where the body has high blood sugar due to abnormal insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Without the correct amount of insulin, the body is unable to properly metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. There are two types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system destroys the pancreas cells that produce insulin. People with type 1 diabetes are insulin-dependent, meaning that they must administer insulin injections daily. This is often referred to as juvenile diabetes as it is typically diagnosed in childhood. About 5-10 percent of the diabetic population has type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant, meaning that insulin is unable to effectively regulate blood sugar levels. This occurs due to environmental and genetic factors. Management typically includes changes in diet and lifestyle, exercise and medication. Over 90 percent of the diabetic population have type 2 diabetes.

The relationship between diabetes and hearing loss has been studied over the years. Diabetes can lead to nerve damage that affects many parts of the body, including your ears. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage small blood vessels and nerves in the inner ear. Low blood sugar over time can damage how nerve signals travel from the inner ear to the brain. Both types of nerve damage can lead to hearing loss.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that if you are diabetic, you should have your hearing checked every year. So, for your New Years resolution, give Jamie or Diane a call at 704-633-0023 to schedule your evaluation. If you would like more information, visit our website www.hearingsolutionsofnc.com and remember to like us on Facebook. Dr. Mussler, Jane, Cheryl and I look forward to seeing you soon.