Hearing is a barometer of health
ROUTINE eye tests and dental checks can help to identify certain health problems, such as diabetes. And now there’s growing evidence that a hearing test can also be an important barometer of health.
The link between low-frequency hearing loss and cardiovascular disease is so distinctive that some health experts believe hearing tests should be used to identify those most at risk.
People with diabetes are also twice as likely to experience hearing loss, while those with pre-diabetes, where the condition is still classed as reversible, are 30 per cent more likely.
A mild 25-decibel hearing loss triples the risks of a serious fall, scientists have revealed. Moderate hearing loss also triples the risk of dementia, while increasing the possibility of misdiagnosis.
The good news for us all is that better hearing promotes better health overall.
Hearing aid audiologist Chris Childe says: ‘Having a medical check-up as soon as you recognise any sign of hearing loss can be so important.
‘Hearing aids can have an impact that won’t become clear until they are tried in a real-life setting. There’s often a huge sense of relief. Once somebody has a pair of hearing aids, I can assure you they’ll never want to give them back, and they’ll wonder how they ever coped without them.’