Overall health and hearing health go hand-in-hand in many ways.

Your hearing health is closely tied to your overall health in the following ways:

• Several studies point to a significant correlation between hearing loss and loss of cognitive function.
• Adults with hearing loss have a higher rate of moderate to severe depression.
• Smokers have a 70% higher risk of having hearing loss than non-smokers.
• Higher body mass index and larger waist circumferences are associated with increased risk of hearing loss in women.
• Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active may reduce the risk of hearing loss.
• Hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes compared to non-diabetics.

We don’t know whether these are “cause and effect” relationships, but we are realizing more and more that hearing loss does not happen in isolation.   Your ears are part of your total wellness program!

Let’s look at diet:

Hearing may be affected by many things.  
Researchers at the University of Florida have found a link between healthy eating and hearing.   According to Dr. Christopher Spankowich “Our hearing health is linked to our general health.  Our auditory system is dependent on our cardiovascular, neural and metabolic health, and if we are not healthy in general, it makes sense that we could increase our susceptibility to hearing loss.”

In this study, a healthy diet meant that the person who scored well on the Healthy Eating Index ate close to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommendations – plenty of vegetables, fruit, and fiber, but not too much salt, cholesterol, and fat.

Some are out of our control: sex, genetics, ethnicity and age.  But we can be mindful of the controllable factors such as cardiovascular health, diet, noise exposure and ototoxic medications.

This study indicates a connection, but we do not yet know if there is a causal link.  Meanwhile, it’s a good idea to view healthy hearing as a part of a total wellness program.

The role of exercise...keep moving!

68,000 women were followed in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study.  They were questioned about health and daily habits.  1 in 6 women had some hearing loss.  They found that women with higher body mass indexes and larger waist circumferences were at greater risk for hearing loss.  But – the good news is that more physical activity was associated with lower risk of hearing loss.  Marathons not required!  For women who walked more than 4 hours a week, their risk of hearing loss dropped by about 15%.

Why this connection?

We don’t know for sure.  The ear is metabolically active.  It needs good blood supply to function at its best. Obesity narrows blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure, hampering blood flow and perhaps depriving the cochlea (the part of the inner ear where the sensory cells meet the nerve endings that send information to the brain) of optimal nourishment.

If you have concerns about weight-related health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or arthritis, it is a good idea to schedule a full professional hearing evaluation.  Healthy habits can improve your overall quality of life, and your hearing health as well.

Your hearing and brain power… new connections are coming to light.

Hearing loss is so common that some people think of it as an expected part of aging, and “no big deal.”

But studies from John Hopkins University are finding links between hearing loss and cognition, including memory, attention, and concentration.  Some brilliant research has been conducted by Dr. Frank Lin, an otologist and epidemiologist at Hopkins.  Dr. Lin says that hearing loss should not be considered a normal part of aging.

In one study Dr. Lin found that adults with hearing loss at the beginning of the study were more to have cognitive decline than adults with normal hearing.  Another study indicated that there were brain changes in people with hearing loss not seen in people with normal hearing.  Hearing loss was also associated with increased risk of falls, stress, and depression.

Dr. Lin’s findings are supported by other neuroscientists, who are also finding that people with hearing loss develop cognitive decline at a higher rate.  “His research has been fantastic,” said another researcher. “It’s energized our field and brought this issue to the forefront.  He’s a real pioneer in this area.”

Next step for the researchers is to figure out the chicken-and-egg questions of what causes what.  And perhaps the biggest question is whether treating hearing loss with appropriate amplification helps to keep the brain functioning well.

Meanwhile, stay on top of your hearing health.  Get a baseline test so you know where you stand.  We will do our best to inform you, answer your questions, and keep you proactive in your wellness program. For more information on testing visit our website.