Hearing loss is a high risk for everyone, whether it be caused by age or exposure to loud noise, but it is almost twice as likely for someone with diabetes. Not everyone is aware of this, and unfortunately, a lot diabetes health check-ups do not include hearing tests. But it’s important to keep your hearing healthy as possible, and there are several ways to do this.

-Take care of your body in general. Make sure your lifestyle is not damaging your health, including dangerous habits like smoking and drinking. Keep up regular exercise and nutritious diet.

-Keep track of your blood sugar. Even your hearing health can be affected by low blood sugar, just as the rest of your body will feel the effects.

-Have your hearing tested regularly. You should see an audiologist or a hearing instrument practitioner and have a hearing exam annually, as well as report any unusual signs or symptoms.

-Protect yourself from noise exposure. If you go to a lot of noisy concerts, sports games, bars, or etc., then you should always make sure to wear earplugs. Lots of noise can cause tinnitus- that ringing sound in your ears- which can contribute to major hearing damage over time. You can also do simple things like lower the volume on audio devices and TVs.

–Look into getting a hearing aid device. A lot of people don’t believe their hearing loss is not bad enough to get hearing aids, but not everyone realizes how much of a difference they can make. Talk to a doctor and do some research into what kind of hearing aids might help you in everyday life.

Be sure to continue to monitor your hearing, and watch for any signs of further damage. Struggling to understand others in a conversation, asking for repetition and louder volumes, and other symptoms may mean that your hearing is getting worse. Lookout for these Signs of Hearing Loss. Those with diabetes are more likely than it is widely known to develop hearing loss, so at your next check-up, be sure to bring it up, and look after yourself and your health.