Exploring the Association of Hearing Loss with Diabetes Mellitus: A Critical Review

Abstract

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is quickly growing in the U.S. population, and among these individuals, many suffer from auditory impairment of increased severity compared with healthy individuals without diabetes. Clinical implications of diabetes mellitus and its affect on the auditory system have been widely recognized in the literature. This article reviews current evidence detailing the association between hearing loss and diabetes mellitus. Traditional and novel methods used in research of this association will be discussed, and descriptions for general audiological precautions for diabetic patients will be outlined. Although controversy exists in the literature, knowledge of the possible audiological aspects of the diabetic individual is paramount and exceedingly relevant to audiological practice as this population continues to increase. Continued research will provide further insight for which specific audiological management of these patients may be established.Learning Outcomes: As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to: (1) list three audiological tests that may present with abnormal findings and (2) describe the findings often associated with the above tests.Diabetes mellitus is quickly becoming an epidemic, affecting 25.8 million people in 2010 1 and a projected 30 million people by 2030. 2 Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by autoimmune-related insulin deficiency (type 1) and the improper use of insulin by body cells (type 2). Type 1 is often referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) and affects $5 to 10% of the diabetic population. 3 Type 2 is referred to as non-insulin-dependent

Hearing Loss in Diabetes

“…Diabetes-related hearing loss originates in the inner ear or cochlea (Bainbridge, 2010; Bainbridge et al, 2010; Malucelli, 2012; Wolfe et al, 2011). There is no research that shows that the origin of the loss occurs in the ear canal (the outer ear), or with the eardrum, or the space on the other side of the eardrum (the middle ear), or in the nerve pathways in the brain (central hearing).…”

Pathomechanisms of tinnitus – a review of selected hypotheses

“…Szumu uszne mogą być objawem choroby Meniere'a, otosklerozy, mogą występować przy zmianach w kręgosłupie szyjnym, w dysfunkcji stawu skroniowo-żuchwowego. Szumy mogą pojawić się jako objaw guza nerwu słuchowego, a także neuroboreliozy i neurokiły lub też ich przyczyna pozostaje nieznana [1,4,[7][8][9][10][11].…”