According to the Better Hearing Institute, there are about 34.5 million people with hearing loss in the United States. Some common causes for hearing loss include noise exposure, age, family history, and diabetes. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), a person with diabetes is twice as likely to have hearing difficulty as someone who does not suffer from the disease.

Studies show that as much as 54% of subjects with diabetes have a mild or greater high frequency loss as compared to 32% of subjects without diabetes. Also, those with pre-diabetes are at greater risk (30% higher) for hearing damage as compared to those without the disease. If someone with diabetes has been exposed to loud noise or have a family history of hearing loss then the chances of having a loss is quite high.

It is recommended that someone with the disease protect their ears when they are exposed to noise at home or in their place of employment to prevent further damage. The damage from diabetes occurs in the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear. Diabetes also leads to heart disease and stroke which can also lead to damage to the inner ear. Physicians should be encouraging patients to get their hearing tested if they have diabetes or at risk for developing the disease. This should be considered just as important as vision screenings or other screenings performed for patients with diabetes.

People with diabetes should have regular hearing evaluations to identify potential damage to the inner ear. If identified early then the appropriate treatment can be implemented. There are several products that can assist someone suffering from even a mild hearing loss. Some of those include amplified telephones, TV listening devices, and even hearing aids for those noticing a significant deficit in their hearing.