Our heredity plays a role in how we hear. I know! I know! If you had a dollar for all the things mom and dad didn’t tell you!
Most likely, your parents may have chalked their hearing loss up to selective hearing or “just something that happens with age”.
Hearing Loss: Not Just Age-Related
The truth of the matter is that hearing loss isn’t just age related.
Surprised, yet?
When it comes to hearing loss your family history does matter. Did your aunt, uncle, cousins, mother and/or father wear hearing aids? Or did you have to raise your voice for them to hear you? If so, they probably had hearing loss, and this is part of your hearing health history.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you will have hearing loss, but it is a reason to monitor your hearing. It is a point worth remembering when sharing your health history with your healthcare providers.
Does Healthy Eating = Healthy Hearing?
In a study produced by Spankovich and LePrell (2013), it was reported that people who consumed better quality calories had better hearing.
So, after it’s all said and done, it seems like our nutrition and heredity play a role in our hearing health.
5 Indicators for Hearing Loss
According to the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) there are several indicators for hearing loss in a person’s lifetime:
- Heredity
- Medications
- Noise Exposure
- Ear Infections
- Chemical Exposure
Your whole hearing story is important to your severity and type of hearing loss that we encounter the day of your hearing test.
Diseases & Disorders Associated with Hearing Loss
Did you know that there are certain diseases/disorders associated with hearing loss? These include:
- Diabetes
- Thyroid Disease
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
If you have any of the above listed disorders or indicators, have your hearing tested. Don’t wait to have healthy ears.
Having healthy hearing translates to better communication, and when we are able to communicate well with our communication partners at work, play and home, we can have a better quality of life.
Your quality of life matters in your overall well-being, and we want to help you in that endeavor. Take care and get well!
About Anomis D. Dula, Au.D. , CCC-A
Dr. Dula is a board certified Audiologist who has worked at WakeMed since 2014. Dr. Dula holds memberships in several audiology related organizations at the state and national levels. She looks forward to serving and working with all families that need her services in the ENT/Audiology Clinics at WakeMed.
Resource(s):
Spankovich, C., Le Prell, C.G. (2013). Healthy diets, healthy hearing: National health and nutrition examination survey, 1999-2002. International Journal of Audiology, 52(6):369-76.
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