By: Dr. Michelle Looney
In the United States, November is National Diabetes Month. Diabetes greatly impacts the American population with over 30 million Americans diagnosed and over 80 million who have prediabetes. In addition to those, over 7 million are undiagnosed. Diabetes affects how the body uses glucose (blood sugar). Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It is vital that your body can properly regulate your glucose levels. Additionally, it is important to know the symptoms of diabetes in order to pursue proper treatment. Some symptoms include frequent urination, thirst, weight loss, hunger, blurry vision, numb or tingling in hands or feet, fatigue, dry skin, sores that heal slowly, and frequent infections. If diabetes is not treated, there is a risk of strokes, heart disease, nerve damage, infections, high blood pressure, pancreas malfunction, and hearing loss. In fact, Diabetics are two times more likely to have hearing loss and pre-diabetics have a 30% higher rate of hearing loss when compared to the general population. Unfortunately, at this time hearing evaluations are not included in the current test battery for those diagnosed with diabetes. If you or someone you know has diabetes, please schedule an appointment with our office to have your hearing evaluated.
