Your body and an ecosystem are similar in some ways. In nature, all of the fish and birds will be affected if something happens to the pond; and all of the plants and animals that depend on the birds will disappear if the birds disappear. The human body, commonly unbeknownst to us, functions on very comparable methods of interconnection. That’s why a wide variety of illnesses can be linked to something that at first appears so isolated like hearing loss.
In some respects, that’s simply more evidence of your body’s ecosystem-like interdependence. When something affects your hearing, it may also impact your brain. These situations are known as comorbid, a fancy (and specialized) name that illustrates a connection between two disorders without necessarily articulating a cause-and-effect relationship.
We can find out a lot concerning our bodies’ ecosystem by comprehending disorders that are comorbid with hearing loss.
Conditions Associated With Hearing Loss
So, let’s suppose that you’ve been noticing the signs of hearing loss for the past couple of months. You’ve been having a tough time making out conversation when you go out to eat. Your television’s volume is constantly getting louder. And some sounds seem so distant. It would be a good choice at this point to make an appointment with a hearing professional.
Your hearing loss is linked to a number of health conditions whether you recognize it or not. Comorbidity with hearing loss has been reported with the following health conditions.
- Dementia: a higher risk of dementia has been linked to hearing loss, though it’s uncertain what the root cause is. Many of these incidents of dementia and also cognitive decline can be slowed, according to research, by wearing hearing aids.
- Cardiovascular disease: on occasion hearing loss doesn’t have anything to do with cardiovascular disease. But at times hearing loss can be worsened by cardiovascular disease. That’s because one of the first signs of cardiovascular disease is trauma to the blood vessels in the inner ear. As that trauma gets worse, your hearing could suffer as an outcome.
- Diabetes: additionally, diabetes can wreak havoc with your nervous system all over your body (especially in your extremities). the nerves in the ear are particularly likely to be affected. This damage can cause loss of hearing all on its own. But diabetes-related nerve damage can also make you more susceptible to hearing loss caused by other issues, often adding to your symptoms.
- Depression: social separation brought on by hearing loss can cause a whole range of concerns, many of which relate to your mental health. So depression and anxiety, not surprisingly, have been shown in several studies, to have a high rate of comorbidity with hearing loss.
- Vertigo and falls: your inner ear is your primary tool for balance. Vertigo and dizziness can be triggered by some forms of hearing loss because they have a damaging impact on the inner ear. Falls are increasingly dangerous as you age and falls can occur whenever there is a loss of balance
What’s The Solution?
It can seem a bit frightening when all those health conditions get added together. But it’s important to remember one thing: tremendous positive impact can be gained by treating your hearing loss. Researchers and scientists recognize that if hearing loss is addressed, the risk of dementia dramatically lowers even though they don’t really understand precisely why dementia and hearing loss manifest together to begin with.
So the best way to go, regardless of what comorbid condition you might be worried about, is to get your hearing examined.
Part of an Ecosystem
This is the reason why health care professionals are rethinking the importance of how to manage hearing loss. Instead of being a rather limited and targeted area of concern, your ears are viewed as closely linked to your general wellness. We’re beginning to consider 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.