February is Healthy Heart Month. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in America, and illnesses from an unhealthy heart can often affect other parts of your body.
This is readily apparent in regards to hearing health. According to Healthy Hearing:
“The inner ear and its mechanisms, because of their small size, are particularly susceptible to any changes in blood flow… Restrictions in the blood vessels leading to the inner ear cause the sensitive hair cells within the inner ear to die, and unfortunately the hair cells don’t regenerate.”
Many believe that a poor cardiovascular system may inhibit one’s ability to hear, especially in older patients. Starkey writes:
“An active lifestyle can improve cardiovascular health and increase blood flow to the ear. According to the American Journal of Medicine, increased physical activity can actually decrease your risk for hearing loss. The American Heart Association also recommends maintaining a healthy diet and keeping blood pressure within a healthy range.”
Heart and hearing aren’t often thought of interacting, but the body is interconnected.
REM recommends annual hearing screenings for patients 55 and over. A change in hearing can alert a physician to early onset of cardiac problems. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.