How Heart Health Can Affect Your Hearing

While your ears and your heart are located in different places in your body, they may be more linked than you had expected.

So, How Can Your Ears Be Impacted by Your Heart?

There has been a plethora of studies ongoing for more than 80 years that linked the health of your heart, including your arteries and veins, to your ears. Scientists are exploring the possibility that the health of your ears can be a good indicator as to what is going on in your heart.

This is because a range of experiences with your hearing can be directly impacted by your heart, for example, cardiovascular disease and restricted blood flow. It all comes down to blood circulation around the body. Unfortunately, if you experience any problems with your blood flow, you may find a number of processes in your body are impacted and maybe even damaged. 

If you are interested in learning more, here are four ways your heart health can affect your hearing. 

High Blood Pressure 

High blood pressure is when a measurement is above 140/90. These figures show the force of which your heart is pumping blood around your body, and the resistance to blood flow in your blood vessels. It is normal that everyone’s blood pressure will be different, but high blood pressure, if not managed properly, can turn into a variety of issues. 

High blood pressure can impact one of the smallest organs called the cochlea. The cochlea is a delicate part of your inner ear that sends signals related to sound to your brain. These need to be well protected to ensure your hearing stays healthy and optimal. High blood pressure can lead to problems with the cochlea, such as an inner ear hemorrhage and sudden or progressive hearing loss. 

High Cholesterol 

Cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood, which plays an important role in your body, and is naturally produced by your liver, as well as the consumption of a variety of foods. It aids with digestion, hormone production and cell creation. Unfortunately, if your cholesterol levels are too high, you can run into health problems. 

High cholesterol can narrow the arteries in your body which will impact the blood flow around your body, specifically to your inner ear. If your ear does not receive optimum blood flow, and therefore, not the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function properly, the hair cells within your ear can experience permanent damage. 

Diabetes

Diabetes is a health condition that impacts the way that your body turns food into energy. When you eat food, your body will break it down into glucose and release it into your bloodstream. This will increase your blood sugar, which signals to your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is the key process that enables your blood sugar into your cells to be used as energy. 

If you have diabetes, in particular, type 2 diabetes, you are at a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. This can therefore leave you vulnerable to hearing loss. 

Cardiovascular Disease 

Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term used to describe a range of heart issues including heart attacks, stroke and angina. 

Cardiovascular disease has been linked to hearing loss by the Ear, Nose and Throat Institute as it suggests that the inner ear is highly sensitive to the body’s blood circulation. So, when the arteries are hardened as a result of cardiovascular disease, it can impact your hearing. It has also been suggested that the reduction in blood flow to the ear can cause permanent damage to parts of the auditory system.

Bodies are much more intertwined than often perceived, giving a variety of different processes and organs the power to impact one another. Specifically, the health of your heart is vital to the health of your ears and should be something everyone is aware of. Heart conditions are becoming more common within society, so it is important to get a regular health check-up and ensure you are participating in healthy habits daily.

Heart disease is much easier to treat when it is detected early, so seeking medical care is always the first thing you should do if you suspect any problems with your heart. This can ensure you maintain your health, as well as your hearing. 

If you are experiencing any changes with your hearing, you can learn more about the help that is available to you by contacting Flynn Associates. For Concord, call at (978) 759-3540 and for Wellesley, call at (781) 943-5040.