It’s well understood, that over longer periods of time, eating way too much will be detrimental to your health. Obesity is connected to a number of health conditions. Heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and you can add hearing loss to the list, as well. It’s estimated that approximately 48 million individuals in the United States, around 20% of this country’s population, have loss of hearing, and around double that amount of adults, 93 million, are obese. Throughout the country, these surprising numbers point to a serious health problem.
How Is Being Overweight Linked to Loss of Hearing?
Numerous studies have revealed that loss of hearing and obesity have a connection. Exactly what that link is, is still being studied, it’s believed that obesity is connected to hearing loss because the circulatory system is affected. Additionally, loss of hearing is connected to diabetes and high blood pressure which are known to be connected to obesity.
Sound in the ear is detected by tiny hairs in the inner ear. In order to function correctly, these little hairs, called stereocilia, require a steady blood flow. Due to obesity, the blood flow is restricted throughout the body since, so that it can keep the blood flowing inside the body, the heart must do extra work, which means that there is less than ideal amount of blood flow supplied to your ear. The ears can be permanently harmed in this way. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease impact the inner ear in the same manner, because all of these conditions adversely impacts your circulation.
It’s extremely important to keep your weight under control as you age since age-related hearing loss is also related to a high fat mass index. Your body’s metabolism doesn’t work as fast or as well as it once did, which is the reason why you need to try to follow healthy habits that you formed when you were younger.
Your ears and your general health are helped by good nutrition.
Obesity Related Hearing Loss Treatments
It’s possible that you may not be capable of recovering your lost hearing if it’s triggered by obesity, nonetheless, it’s always smart to have your hearing screened to determine the degree of your loss of hearing. If the damage is permanent, you might need a hearing aid or other device to start hearing properly again.
If the damage is only slight, you might need to see your doctor about developing a diet and exercise strategy to reduce the impact your weight has on your health before it gets any worse. Your doctor should prescribe a cardio intensive exercise regimen that will improve your general health and get your blood pumping. You will likely find that other aspects of your life also improve, mental health, for instance, since consistent exercise will decrease depression according to a lot of research.
How Can You Prevent Obesity-Related Hearing Loss
So that you can protect against obesity-related hearing loss consistent exercise and a healthy diet are necessary. Keeping your body healthy can also assist in keeping your ears in superior shape. A program that can help you reach your goals and that is personalized for you can be put together by a nutritionist. The role of the nutritionist is to make certain you’re consuming nutritious foods with the best blend of nutrients, such as foods that are high in iron, since, you guessed it, a lack of iron in your diet can exacerbate your loss of hearing and result in tinnitus.
Discover more about hearing loss and how you can hear better with the appropriate treatment.