Why Osteoporosis Leads to Sudden and Higher Risk Hearing Loss?

Osteoporosis is a bone-related disease which has affected about 54 Million Americans and every year. People having Osteoporosis are more likely to develop a sudden hearing loss, compared to those who don’t have it.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, which by the words means porous bones; it is a type of disease that makes the bone density become brittle and weak.

As the bone becomes weak and fragile, the tendency to break increases. This is a very silent process which increases progressively and fastly. Usually, the symptoms are very less until you are caught up in a fracture.

The symptoms may include issues such as:

• Severe back pains of vertebra collapsing or any fracture.
• Losing height over time
• Continue to have a stooped posture
• Bone fractures can occur with minimal damage, causing fractures and broken bones
• The fractures are most typically in the hip, spine, and wrist.

What are the causes of Osteoporosis?

The tissues in our bones continuously keep on changing in every stage of life. Our bones are dense in our early 20’s, when they have peak bone mass. While as they start aging the bone matrix present in the bones starts to dissolve. On the other hand the new bone cells begin depositing osteoid.

For the people who have Osteoporosis, the loss of bone outpaces the growth of the bone. It leads to bones becoming porous, brittle, and tend to break easily.

Can osteoporosis cause hearing loss?

Yes, osteoporosis can lead to hearing loss.

Before we jump into knowing how these both are related, it is essential to understand how the hearing mechanism works.  The sound waves enter your ear canal and strike the eardrum, which is a thin tiny membrane connected to three small bones in the middle ear known as the ossicles. When these bones are damaged, hearing loss occurs.

This clearly shows how risky Osteoporosis is and how it increases the chances of the hearing loss. The bone stapes, one of the smallest bone present in the ear, is prone to fracture. The chances of fracture are worsened with Osteoporosis. More concerning is that hearing loss can occur with giving any prior warning.

Usually, it causes sudden deafness, while creating a rapid loss of hearing typically affecting one ear more deeply, it affects 1 woman out of 5 and 1 man out of 8 in all of America every year.

The other risk factors also include diseases such as Cardiovascular Disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney related issues. According to the current studies, Osteoporosis is a risk factor more to American and Asian patients.

The symptoms are very quiet so patients are more likely to report a minute ringing in the ear known as tinnitus.

What Surveys say?

In a recent analysis that included 10,000 people who have Osteoporosis, it was found that 76% of these people were more likely to suffer from a sudden or sensorineural hearing loss compared with those who don’t have this bone disease.

According to a study in the University of Illinois, which included the profound link between Osteoporosis and the three middle ear bones demineralization, though all the people are affected irrespective of gender, it is more likely in White and Asian Women.

The statistics clearly show that 54 Million Americans are affected, and it is expected to increase to 60 Million in the coming years.

However, the specific reason and survey are not yet out, which explains why Osteoporosis and Hearing Loss are linked. Research on this topic is still going on but it is seen that 75% of the people who have Osteoporosis suffer from hearing loss.

What should you do?

The foremost thing is to book an appointment and consult your hearing expert as soon as possible.

Still, research is going on to check the in-depth relationship between osteoporosis and hearing loss. It is always recommended to go to the physician before anything terrible happens; it is essential for the individuals to be aware of their situations, monitor the hearing act, and react immediately.

• Ensure to have regular check-ups with your hearing specialist, and try to take additional preventives
• Use earplugs if an around loud noise
• Habituate with low volume 
• Give your ears proper time and rest to recover
• Stop using cotton swabs in the earwax cleaning
• Keep your ears dry

How to avoid Osteoporosis and Hearing loss from the start

Hearing loss & Osteoporosis usually start when people start aging. Osteoporosis can be more noticed in women than in men. There are some basic self care steps that can be taken to stabilize physical health.

• Eat well-balanced food or diet and have enough amount of Calcium and Vitamin D
• Regularly engage in some exercise most weight bearing exercise
• Intake necessary fruits and vegetable that are good to the bones and sensory organs 
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks a day.

Conclusion

As we mentioned above, these are surveys and theories that give a conclusion from all the analysis. There is no solid proof for it and research is still ongoing.

Apart from this, to keep yourself away from Osteoporosis and hearing loss, take all the necessary steps that are recommended above. Also take precautions if you have Osteoporosis and want to avoid Hearing Loss.

For more concerns, it is always recommended to consult a Hearing Specialist, who will help you with all the care and precautions.