Research suggests cardiovascular disease associated with hearing loss
Living a healthy lifestyle that reduces the risk of heart disease can also be beneficial to one’s hearing, according to a study from Harvard University highlighting the connection between heart health and hearing loss. This Harvard Medical School research indicates that hearing loss occurs 54 percent more often in people with heart disease than in the rest of the population.
“The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow due to its size,” said Dr. Beth Muller of Blue Wave Hearing Centers. “Cardiovascular disease in part restricts that flow, and the consequent trauma to vessels can contribute to some degree of hearing loss.”
Cardiovascular disease causes the blood vessels to narrow and become less elastic due to plaque buildup. This affects how blood reaches the body’s organs, and due to the fragility of nerves and blood vessels in the inner ear, the cochlea may be among the first organs affected. The link between cardiovascular disease and hearing loss may provide a preventive measure to which some physicians and audiologists can look.
“Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States, and studies are constantly under way to provide more information that offers a new perspective or a new consideration,” Muller said. “Knowing that the two are strongly associated means we have more time to diagnose and potentially prevent further health concerns to a patient if hearing loss or cardiovascular disease are present.”
Of the study’s respondents who had experienced at least one heart attack, 80 percent of them were found to have damage to the inner ear. Although some aspects of cardiovascular disease are uncontrollable, decreasing salt intake, exercising regularly, getting proper rest, avoiding fatigue and stress, and having regular blood pressure checks are all aspects of the disease of which the individual can take charge. In most cases, hearing loss related to heart disease can be treated by a hearing care specialist, while increased activity and less stress are beneficial to the heart.
Blue Wave Hearing Centers are two full-service, independently owned audiology practices proud to be bringing better hearing to the people of Northwest Arkansas for 16 years. The Audigy Certified hearing care practices help thousands of patients with their hearing, tinnitus, and balance disorders; and they offer stateof-the-art diagnostic testing and expert fitting of hearing technology.