Learn about hearing diseases and symptoms.
Hearing plays an important role in our health. You may be surprised by how hearing health affects and is affected by other systems in our body, from mental health to physical health. Hearing loss is connected to many other health conditions throughout the body. While hearing loss may not be the cause of these diseases or conditions, it is considered a risk factor for many.
Tinnitus refers to the sensation of perceiving sounds, such as ringing or buzzing, that have no external source—in other words, hearing sounds that are not there.
Meniere’s disease is a chronic inner ear disorder that causes recurring episodes of severe dizziness (vertigo), ear pressure, tinnitus and hearing loss. It typically affects only one ear, although some people experience symptoms in both ears.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, representing one in four deaths every year. The link between heart disease and hearing loss has been well established for years.
Treating hearing loss aggressively can actually help ward off cognitive decline and dementia. Several factors account for the connection between hearing loss and dementia.
The thyroid is a gland that sits below the Adam’s apple and is responsible for releasing hormones that control the metabolism. Hypothyroidism is a condition of low production of thyroid hormones, often caused by autoimmune disease.
An estimated 18 million Americans experience sleep apnea. This condition causes their breathing to slow too much and even stop for short periods while they sleep.
Diabetes and hearing loss are two of the biggest health problems facing Americans today. Studies suggest there is crossover between the millions of Americans with diabetes and the 34.5 million Americans who have hearing loss.
A quick description
of labyrinthitis (pronounced “lab-uh-rinth-itis”) might make it sound like a
fairly simple thing: inflammation of the inner ear and the nerves that connect
the area to the brain.
