By Dr. Noël Crosby, Au.D.
Hearing loss effects individual of all ages for multiple reasons; however, there is evidence that those with kidney disease or kidney failure, have a high risk of developing hearing loss.
An article published by the Kidney Foundation suggests the following:
Hearing Loss is Common in Patients with Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease
Older adults with moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a higher prevalence of hearing loss than those of the same age without CKD, according to a new report published today in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation.
An Australian research team assessed over 2,900 individuals aged 50 and older, including 513 with moderate chronic kidney disease (defined as a glomerular filtration rate or a measure of kidney function that is below 60). Of those with CKD, over 54% reported some level of hearing loss compared to only 28% of the rest of the group. Nearly 30% of the CKD participants showed severe hearing loss compared with only 10% of the non-CKD participants.
“Hearing loss is commonly linked to syndromal kidney disease. However, this study suggests a strong tie to CKD in general,” said study author Professor David Harris, Associate Dean of Sydney Medical School-Westmead at the University of Sydney. “The link can be explained by structural and functional similarities between tissues in the inner ear and in the kidney. Additionally, toxins that accumulate in kidney failure can damage nerves, including those in the inner ear. Another reason for this connection is that kidney disease and hearing loss share common risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure and advanced age.”
No matter the cause of your hearing loss, treating is critical.
Signs that you have hearing loss, or your hearing aids may not be providing enough benefit
• Have difficulty hearing conversations, especially with background noise?
• Often ask people to repeat themselves.
• Often misunderstand what people say?
• Have trouble hearing on the telephone?
• Turn up the volume on the TV louder than others in the room prefer?
• Feel people often mumble when they talk?
• Struggle to hear sounds of nature such as birds chirping or rain falling?
• Find yourself agreeing, smiling, or nodding during conversations when you’re not sure what’s been said?
• Regularly withdraw from conversations because it’s too difficult to hear.
• Read lips to understand what people are saying?
Why you should see an Audiologist
If you are experiencing hearing loss, it’s important to seek a qualified audiologist, because they are trained to get you the best outcome and resolution for your specific issue. If you’ve noticed that it’s difficult to hear conversations in a noisy atmosphere, or you feel the need to adjust your television volume much higher than before, it’s vital for you to have your hearing checked.
Perhaps you or your loved one keeps asking for people to repeat themselves, or you can’t quite pick up where sounds are coming from; if this is the case, don’t wait until your hearing loss gets any worse, schedule your appointment as soon as you possibly can.
Advanced Hearing Solutions
Using the latest and most sophisticated technology, we determine if you have hearing loss–and, if you do, we determine the degree and type of hearing loss. If your hearing loss requires medical or surgical intervention, we can refer you to a physician (otologist or neurologist) for appropriate treatment. If your type of hearing loss can best be treated with the use of hearing aids and/or other assistive listening devices (which is true in the great majority of cases), we can select any of a wide range of hearing devices and custom fit them to your ear, programmed to augment your hearing at those frequency levels where your hearing loss is greatest.
Call Advanced Hearing Solutions today at (941) 474-8393.