How Heart Health Can Affect Your Hearing

When it comes to protecting and looking after your hearing health, you might be focusing mostly on what’s going on above the head, such as exposure to excess levels of noise, earwax buildups, ringing in your ears and ear infections. While these are going to be some of the most common causes of changes to your hearing, but your ears can be affected by issues stemming from other areas, including your heart. There is a very strong connection between your cardiovascular system and your hearing health. Here, we’re going to look at their relationship.

The Heart-Hearing Connection

The way that your heart connects with your hearing health is the same as how it connects with almost every other part of the body: through the circulatory system. Problems that affect the circulation of the blood throughout the body can affect other parts. It’s the most delicate parts of the body that can feel these changes, first, such as the cochlea, the inner-ear organ that sends sound signals to the brain. For one instance, if your blood flow is restricted to the cochlea, it might not get the oxygen that it needs, which can damage your hearing. Another example is the hair cells on the inner ear, which pick up the soundwaves from the air that cochlea transmits as electric signals. If they don’t get enough oxygen, they can suffer irreversible damage.

Heart Health Conditions That Affect Hearing

There are specific conditions that, if you experience them, you should be extra vigilant when it comes to your hearing health, as well. Here are a few examples to keep in mind:

• Cardiovascular disease: this condition hardens the arteries, which affect your circulation, which can cause hearing loss. As such, heart medication to improve circulation may be necessary.
• Hypertension: this condition, also known as high blood pressure, can affect a range of organs, including the cochlea.
• Diabetes: Diabetes, especially type-2 diabetes, put you at a greater risk of heart disease, as well as heart attacks and strokes. As such, if you have diabetes, you should monitor both your heart health and your hearing health on a regular basis

Signs You Need to Check Your Heart Health

If you’re experiencing signs of hearing loss (such as being unable to make out speech the first time, having trouble hearing against background noise, or having trouble hearing high pitched noises, such as children and women’s voices), then you might want to have a basic physical. This can help you see your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which may point to any underlying heart health issues. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should make sure that you get in touch with your doctor:

• Chest discomfort
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Pain travelling through your arm
• Throat pain/jaw pain
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• You get exhausted easily
• Excessive sweating
• Snoring

Any combination of these symptoms, especially if you have never felt them before a certain point, should get you in contact with your doctor. The sooner you discover any underlying heart issues, the better your ability to treat them.

Improving Your Heart Health

If you’re worried about your heart health, then going to the doctor should be your first course of action. Of course, there is plenty you can do to improve your heart health on your own initiative, as well. This includes the following:

• Exercising regularly, especially cardio like running, walking, swimming and cycling.
• Eating a healthier breakfast, such as some fibre-rich fruits and some whole grains.
• Walking more regularly than you drive.
• Avoiding sugar, especially in sugar beverages
• Eating more fruits, vegetables and nuts throughout your daily life

It’s important to keep in mind that not all heart conditions can be treated through lifestyle changes alone. Some may require medical intervention, such as prescription medicines, so you should always involve your doctor if you’re concern about your heart.

Pay Attention To Your Hearing and Heart Health

If you are worried about your heart health, then you should make sure that you talk with your doctor, who might even refer you to a cardiologist. However, if you’re worried about any hearing loss, it’s an audiologist that will provide the help that you need. Take a look at the site to see what Hearing Wellness Centre can do for you or call us on (844) 663-9433 to arrange a hearing test and examination to address any worries you might have.