Heart disease has an impact on the health of the auditory system. Most heart disease is linked to blood vessel damage from high blood pressure (hypertension) and/or stiffened, narrowed arteries (arteriosclerosis) from high cholesterol. These problems can cause blockages, spasms, or ruptures of both major and minor vessels.
Research has shown that good circulation plays a role in maintaining good hearing health. Conversely, inadequate blood flow and trauma to the blood vessels of the inner ear can contribute to hearing loss. This is also why hearing loss and diabetes are connected. Poor circulation can affect the delicate hair cells in the cochlea. These hair cells transfer the sounds your ears collect into electrical impulses for the brain to interpret as recognizable sound. Poor circulation robs these hair cells of adequate oxygen, causing damage or destruction. Because these hair cells do not regenerate, it results in permanent hearing loss.
In a study published in the June 2010 issue of the American Journal of Audiology, authors Raymond H. Hull and Stacy R. Kerschen reviewed research conducted over the past 60 years on cardiovascular health and its influence on hearing health. Their findings confirm that impaired cardiovascular health negatively affects both the peripheral and central auditory system, especially in older adults. In another 2017 study, analysis of 5,107 Australians found a strong link between heart disease and increased risk of hearing loss. In addition, researchers hypothesize low-frequency hearing loss could be an indicator of the presence or potential development of cardiovascular disease.
Can a stroke cause hearing loss?
Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain is blocked, depriving the brain of much-needed oxygen. If a stroke occurs in the areas of the brain responsible for hearing and balance, the stroke may cause hearing impairment, dizziness, and other vestibular/balance changes.
Long-term complications of stroke
When a stroke affects the temporal lobe of the brain, a person may experience long-term negative changes in their hearing. These include difficulty recognizing spoken words or sounds, a perception that normal sounds are unusual or strange. Sometimes, a person also may have “auditory hallucinations” in which they hear things that don’t exist.
Hearing loss in one ear and risk of stroke
There is some evidence that people who experience sudden hearing loss in one ear (also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or SSNHL) may be at increased risk of having a stroke within the next few years after they lost their hearing. Why sudden hearing loss occurs is poorly understood, but it’s thought that one cause could be from disrupted blood supply in the part of the brain responsible for hearing. If you’ve experienced SSNHL, talk to your doctor about your risk of heart disease or stroke.
Exercise may help
Although sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, you may be able to help preserve your remaining hearing by adopting a physician-approved fitness program that includes cardiovascular exercise, especially if you have obesity.
Charles E. Bishop, AuD, Assistant Professor in the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, reports “hearing health should not be assessed in a vacuum. There is simply too much evidence that hearing loss is related to cardiovascular disease and other health conditions. It’s time we maximized the information we have to benefit the individual’s overall well-being.”
Start your journey to better health by consulting an Audiologist.
Hearing Partners of South Florida
