Diabetes & Hearing Loss

Audiologists at the Advanced Hearing Center, which has an office in the arcade level of Building Three at North Shore Towers, is educating people about diabetes and the relation it has to hearing loss.
According to a National Institutes of Health study, “those with diabetes have twice the risk of developing hearing loss.”
During a recent event, Dr. Amy Sapodin and Dr. Alison Hoffmann, who are co-owners of the Advanced Hearing Center, educated specifically individuals with diabetes about hearing loss.
“Because hearing loss is a gradual process, you may not notice it right away,” Sapodin said. “There can be a slight increase in the degree of loss.”
If someone is diabetic or is over the age of 55, it is recommended that they have their hearing tested. Such testing is also recommended for individuals who have been “exposed to loud noise over a period of time.”
“The consequences of untreated hearing loss can result in depression and isolation as most people avoid social situations because they can’t participate easily,” Hoffmann said.