Hearing Care ResourcesHearing loss can have a powerful effect on your quality of life. Not only are your relationships with loved ones affected, but it can cause serious health complications.At Manatee Ear Center, serving patients in Manatee and Sarasota county, we understand the significant side effects untreated hearing loss can have on your health.Studies indicate that there is a link between diabetes and hearing loss. The exact cause isn’t known but researchers suspect that because diabetes damages the small blood vessels in our bodies, including those in our inner ears, it causes damage to the sensory cells and consequently results in hearing loss.In older adults, studies show a higher prevalence of hearing loss among those with a history of heart disease. Inadequate blood flow and trauma to blood vessels in the inner ear, which are particularly sensitive, can cause hearing loss.
Conversely, those with hearing loss are at an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.Untreated hearing loss can also lead to social isolation and cognitive overload, which may eventually cause dementia. Cognitive overload occurs when the brain is so busy converting sounds to words that other cognitive skills are diminished, decreasing the desire to communicate with others, causing social withdrawal, leading to further decline of cognitive function. Your brain is like a muscle; it requires exercise or it will not perform well, leading to dementia and possibly even Alzheimer’s.The simplest way to prevent health complications linked to hearing loss is seek treatment right away if you notice any of these symptoms:You’re often asking people to repeat themselvesYou find yourself increasing the volume of television or radioYou experience difficulty conversing over the phoneYou have trouble hearing in noisy places, such as restaurants.You find it difficult to follow conversations that involve multiple peopleEarly intervention is important for treating hearing loss.
If you or a loved one experience two or more of these symptoms, schedule a hearing exam. At Manatee Ear Center, we offer comprehensive hearing health care solutions to patients in the Sarasota and Manatee County, Florida area.
