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Monica Lewis
Recent research shows that there is a link between metabolic syndrome and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Below we review what metabolic syndrome is, what SSNHL is and what the study shows about how the two conditions are connected.
What Is Metabolic Syndrome?
When you have three or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes, you may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
The risk factors include:
Abdominal obesity
High blood pressure
Impaired fasting blood glucose
High triglyceride levels
Low HDL (good) cholesterol
What Is Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?
SSNHL, sometimes called sudden deafness, describes a rapid loss of hearing with no identifiable cause. In some cases, it takes place instantaneously, while in other cases, it occurs over the course of a few days. Sometimes a popping sound is heard before the sense of hearing fades.
This condition can occur following noisy activities, like attending a concert at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, or you can wake up with it. Typically, only one ear is affected.
The cause of SSNHL is a problem with the sensory organs of the inner ear, which is why other symptoms, such as dizziness or tinnitus (ringing in the ears), are sometimes present.
Approximately half of the people who experience SSNHL recover their hearing within a week or two. If you receive treatment promptly, it greatly increases the chance of recovery.
SSNHL is a medical emergency, so if you exhibit the symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
How Are These Conditions Linked?
One study entitled “Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” was published in the journal Otology and Neurotology in 2021.
The study participants included 11,890 people. Of this number, 3,034 had experienced SSNHL.
Researchers examined the data and concluded that those with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher risk of SSNHL. In fact, the risk of metabolic syndrome among SSNHL patients had a pooled odds ratio of 1.88. Researchers also found that SSNHL patients with metabolic syndrome had much higher chances of poorer recovery. This odds ratio was 2.77. For more information about this link or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call Hearing Care by Hough today.
