Your body and an ecosystem have some similarities. In nature, all of the fish and birds will suffer if something happens to the pond; and when the birds disappear so too do all of the plants and animals that depend on those birds. We may not realize it but our body works on very comparable principals. That’s why a large number of afflictions can be linked to something that at first appears so isolated like hearing loss.
This is, in a sense, evidence of the interdependence of your body and it’s resemblance to an ecosystem. Your brain may also be impacted if something affects your hearing. These situations are called comorbid, a fancy (and specialized) label that demonstrates a link between two disorders while not necessarily articulating a cause-and-effect connection.
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 getting louder and louder. And certain sounds sound so distant. It would be a smart choice at this point to set up an appointment with a hearing specialist.
Your hearing loss is connected to a number of health conditions whether you recognize it or not. Some of the health problems that have documented comorbidity with hearing loss include:
- Diabetes: likewise, diabetes can have a negative affect on your nervous system all over your body (particularly in your extremities). one of the areas particularly likely to be harmed are the nerves in the ear. This damage can cause loss of hearing by itself. But diabetes-related nerve damage can also make you more vulnerable to hearing loss caused by other factors, often adding to your symptoms.
- Depression: social separation associated with hearing loss can cause a whole range of concerns, many of which relate to your mental health. So it’s no surprise that study after study confirms depression and anxiety have really high comorbidity rates with hearing loss.
- Cardiovascular disease: hearing loss and cardiovascular conditions are not always linked. In other situations, cardiovascular problems can make you more vulnerable to hearing loss. The reason for this is that trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear is one of the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease. As that trauma escalates, your hearing might suffer as a result.
- Dementia: a higher chance of dementia has been linked to hearing loss, although it’s unclear what the base cause is. Many of these incidents of dementia and also cognitive decline can be reduced, according to research, by using hearing aids.
- Vertigo and falls: your inner ear is your main tool for balance. Vertigo and dizziness can be created by some types of hearing loss because they have a negative impact on the inner ear. Falls are increasingly dangerous as you get older and falls can happen whenever there is a loss of balance
What Can You Do?
When you add all of those connected health conditions on top of each other, it can look a bit intimidating. But it’s worthwhile to keep one thing in mind: managing your hearing loss can have enormous positive impacts. Though researchers and scientists don’t really know, for instance, why hearing loss and dementia show up together so often, they do know that dealing with hearing loss can substantially lower your dementia risks.
So no matter what your comorbid condition may be, the best way to go is to have your hearing checked.
Part of an Ecosystem
That’s the reason why more health care specialists are looking at hearing health with new eyes. Instead of being a somewhat limited and targeted area of concern, your ears are seen as intimately linked to your overall wellness. We’re starting to consider the body as an interconnected environment in other words. Hearing loss isn’t always an isolated situation. So it’s significant to pay attention to your health as a whole.