Poor heart health takes toll
on hearing health
Eating junk food and leading a sedentary lifestyle may not immediately get you thinking about hearing loss; however, new evidence is showing it should. The inner ear is extremely sensitive to blood flow and some research proves the good health of a person’s heart, arteries and veins has a positive effect on hearing.
A review of research spanning the past six decades consistently showed impaired cardiovascular health negatively impacted both the peripheral and central auditory systems. The same review, recently published in the American Journal of Audiology, also showed with heart health improvement came hearing health improvement as well.
The close connection between cardiovascular disease and hearing relates to the cochlea, a fluid-filled tube located in the inner ears which translate sounds into nerve impulses. If the cochlea becomes damaged or is negatively affected by blood flow, the ability for the hearing organ to function properly becomes greatly diminished. One large scale study showed of the 1,600 participants with a history of cardiovascular disease 54 percent were more likely to have impaired cochlear function.
Blood flow is essential to the health of most of the body’s organs including those essential to good hearing. Therefore, many doctors are recommending preventative heart health lifestyle changes not only to increase the number of healthy years, but also to reduce the likelihood of hearing loss from cardiovascular issues. Eating healthier, losing weight, quitting smoking and lowering blood pressure are all steps you can take right now.
Those with a hearing loss should consider a heart screening to determine if there is a greater potential health threat. The opposite is also true for patients already diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, it’s important to have their hearing evaluated by an audiologist. Hearing loss can disconnect you from family and friends so make sure if you or a loved one has a history of heart-related illness you take the best steps to finding a solution that fits.
Source: http://www.betterhearing.org/press/news/Heart_and_hearing_health_WHD_pr09272011.cfm
WWMG's Audiology department is at 3216 Norton Avenue, Suite 102, Everett, WA 98201. You can reach them at 425-252-0895
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