Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, Diabetes and High Cholesterol

According to Dr. Richard Navarro, Board Certified Audiologist, over the last 40 years almost every patient who reported "hissing" tinnitus has a history of cardio-vascular disease. In some cases, sudden increases in tinnitus may be a sign of a change in blood sugar levels particularly hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.

Diabetics Have Increased Risk For Hearing Loss And Tinnitus

Posted: Sep 28, 2012 5:14 PM
Updated: Sep 28, 2012 5:40 PM

CORPUS CHRISTI - Diabetes affects millions of people of all ages. In South Texas about 10% of the population over the age of 20 is affected with Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Many more are unaware that they may be at risk. Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, African Americans, and the elderly are at higher risk.

While diabetes can be hereditary, a major risk factor for diabetes is being overweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 31% of South Texans are considered obese. Diabetes can cause many complications including blindness, amputation of legs, kidney failure, hearing loss, and tinnitus. In addition, the presence of diabetes increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In a retrospective analysis of 13 research studies presented at the 2011 meeting of the American Diabetes Association, Japanese researchers reported that hearing loss is more than twice as common in people with diabetes. The higher incidence of hearing loss among diabetics may be due to damage to the small blood vessels in the inner ear. If a diabetic also has high cholesterol levels which can clog the small inner ear blood vessels, the potential for hearing loss and tinnitus is further increased. High cholesterol levels have been known for many years to increase the risk of hearing loss.

According to Dr. Richard Navarro, Board Certified Audiologist, over the last 40 years almost every patient who reported "hissing" tinnitus has a history of cardio-vascular disease. In some cases, sudden increases in tinnitus may be a sign of a change in blood sugar levels particularly hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
The local chapter of the American Diabetes Association will sponsor Step Out for Diabetes on Saturday October 13, 2012 at Whataburger Field.

 

The relation between idiopathic subjective tinnitus and risk factors for venous and arterial thrombosis

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between tinnitus and the factors that cause the tendency to thrombosis in terms of gender.

Material and Methods: Fifty-five consecutive patients who admitted to our clinic with the complaint of idiopathic subjective tinnitus were included in this study. Routine ENT (ear nose throat) examinations and pure tone audiometry test were performed. Prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, Triglycerides, antithrombin III (AT III), protein C, protein S, homocysteine, antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies were examined in blood samples of patients. Temporal bone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed all patients. The results of the patients were compared in terms of gender and age groups (<=40 and >40 age).

Results: The study was completed with 47 patients. Twenty-four of the patients were female and 23 were male. Both genders groups were similar in terms of age and pure tone average. Antiphospholipid and anticardiyolipin antibodies (IgG and IgM) were found as negative in all patients. Homocysteine levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in males than females (p=0.015; respectively 13.38±5.98 µmol/L and 9.87±3.11 µmol/L). AT III and Protein S levels were lower in males than females although this difference was not statistically significant (respectively p=0.07 and p=0.08)

Conclusion: In this study, an association was shown between hyperhomocysteinemia and tinnitus, especially in males.