It may seem there is little connection between hearing loss and heart health, but 40 years of studies consistently show that healthy circulation has a positive effect on hearing—and that cardiovascular disease may be correlated to compromised hearing.
It may seem that there is little connection between hearing loss and heart health, but a growing compendium of studies compiled over the last 40 years consistently shows that healthy circulation has a positive effect on hearing—and that cardiovascular disease may be correlated to compromised hearing.
A study of older adults at Wisconsin University in 2002 found the prevalence of hearing loss is 54 percent greater among those who have a history of heart disease than in the general population. Research published in 2005 found that women who had suffered a heart attack are two to three times more likely to have sensorineural hearing loss as compared to women without a history of heart attack. A 2009 study at the Medical College of Wisconsin suggested that low-frequency hearing loss may be a potential marker for predicting the presence or potential development of cardiovascular disease.
What’s the connection? The inner ear is especially sensitive to blood flow, and diminished circulation to the structures of the inner ear may damage both the peripheral and central auditory system before vessels elsewhere in the body are affected. The damage to these structures can result in diminished hearing.
Fortunately, what is good for your heart seems to also be protective of your hearing. Exercise helps boost circulation throughout the body, and quitting smoking lowers the risk of developing heart disease. Eating fish, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids that help protect against heart disease, was shown in a 2014 study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital to also lower women’s risk of hearing loss.
The evidence is in, and taking steps now to protect your heart can also help preserve your hearing over the long term.