Your body and an ecosystem have some similarities. In nature, all of the birds and fish will suffer if something happens to the pond; and all of the animals and plants that rely on the birds will disappear if the birds disappear. The human body, often unbeknownst to us, works on very comparable principles of interconnection. That’s why a large number of conditions can be connected to something that at first seems so isolated like hearing loss.
In a way, that’s just more evidence of your body’s ecosystem-like interdependence. When something affects your hearing, it may also impact your brain. We call these circumstances comorbid, a fancy (and specialized) term that illustrates a link between two conditions without necessarily pointing directly at a cause-and-effect connection.
We can find out a lot regarding our bodies’ ecosystem by comprehending ailments that are comorbid with hearing loss.
Diseases Associated With Hearing Loss
So, let’s assume that you’ve been recognizing the symptoms of hearing loss for the past several months. You’ve been having a tough time making out conversation when you go out for a bite. You’ve been turning the volume up on your tv. And certain sounds just feel a little further away. When this is the situation, the majority of people will make an appointment with a hearing professional (this is the smart thing to do, actually).
Whether you recognize it or not, your hearing loss is linked to a number of other health issues. Comorbidity with hearing loss has been reported with the following health problems.
- Diabetes: additionally, your overall nervous system can be influenced in a negative way by diabetes (especially in your extremities). the nerves in the ear are especially likely to be harmed. This damage can cause hearing loss all on its own. But your symptoms can be compounded because diabetes related nerve damage can make you more susceptible to hearing loss from other factors.
- Dementia: neglected hearing loss has been linked to a higher risk of dementia, although the underlying cause of that relationship is not clear. Many of these cases of dementia and also cognitive decline can be slowed, according to research, by using hearing aids.
- Depression: social isolation brought on by hearing loss can cause a whole range of issues, many of which are related to your mental health. So anxiety and depression, not surprisingly, have been shown in several studies, to have a high rate of comorbidity with hearing loss.
- Vertigo and falls: your principal tool for balance is your inner ear. Vertigo and dizziness can be created by some forms of hearing loss because they have a damaging impact on the inner ear. Any loss of balance can, of course, cause falls, and as you age, falls will become significantly more hazardous.
- Cardiovascular disease: on occasion hearing loss has nothing to do with cardiovascular disease. But sometimes hearing loss can be intensified by cardiovascular disease. That’s because one of the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease is trauma to the blood vessels in the inner ear. As that trauma gets worse, your hearing might suffer as an outcome.
What Can You Do?
It can seem a bit frightening when all those health conditions get added together. But one thing should be kept in mind: enormous positive affect can be gained by treating your hearing loss. Though researchers and scientists don’t really know, for example, why hearing loss and dementia so often show up together, they do know that treating hearing loss can substantially lower your risk of dementia.
So the best course of action, no matter what comorbid condition you might be concerned about, is to get your hearing checked.
Part of an Ecosystem
This is why health care professionals are rethinking the importance of how to treat hearing loss. Instead of being a somewhat limited and specific area of concern, your ears are viewed as intimately linked to your overall wellbeing. We’re beginning to think about the body as an interrelated environment in other words. Hearing loss isn’t always an isolated scenario. So it’s significant to pay attention to your health as a whole.