Diseases and conditions that impact hearing loss

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is commonly caused by atherosclerosis, which leads to blocked or narrowed blood vessels and poor blood circulation, resulting in various conditions such as:

Coronary artery disease
Stroke
Heart failure
Arrhythmia
Valvular heart disease

In severe cases, it can be life-threatening.

How Do We Hear?

Before exploring the connection between cardiovascular disease and hearing, it’s important to understand the basic process of hearing.

When sound waves enter the outer ear, they are filtered, amplified, and travel down the ear canal to strike the eardrum. Behind the eardrum lies the middle ear, which contains three small bones — the malleus, incus, and stapes.

When the eardrum vibrates, the malleus also vibrates, transmitting the movement to the incus and then to the stapes. The stapes pushes against the oval window, transferring the vibration into the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear.

These fluid vibrations are converted into electrical signals by the hair cells in the organ of Corti within the cochlea, creating sound signals that the brain can interpret.

Poor Blood Circulation and Hearing Loss

Inside the cochlea of the inner ear, tiny hair cells rely on proper blood circulation to receive nutrients and convert sound vibrations into electrical signals for neural transmission and auditory perception in the brain. When blood circulation is poor, these hair cells may become damaged due to a lack of oxygen. Because hair cells do not regenerate, this damage can lead to permanent hearing loss.

Cardiovascular disease and tinnitus:
Atherosclerosis or other vascular disorders may cause certain types of tinnitus that sound like a heartbeat or pulsing blood flow. This is medically known as pulsatile tinnitus, and it typically occurs in one ear — more commonly in women than in men. If pulsatile tinnitus is suspected, doctors may recommend an MRI or CT scan to examine the condition of the blood vessels and bones around the ear to determine the exact cause.

Stroke and Hearing Loss

A stroke is a sudden disorder caused by either a blockage or a rupture of blood vessels in the brain, leading to tissue damage or death due to pressure or insufficient blood flow. When a stroke occurs in areas responsible for hearing or balance, symptoms such as hearing loss or dizziness may appear.

In addition to hearing loss directly caused by stroke, a 2016 study found that stroke patients are five times more likely to experience sudden hearing loss than those without a history of stroke — suggesting that stroke could be an important predictor of sudden hearing loss.

Aside from cardiovascular diseases, other high-risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, genetics, diabetes, obesity, and aging can also contribute to hearing loss.

Diabetes and Hearing Loss

High blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage the inner walls of small blood vessels, reducing the ability of nerves to receive necessary nutrients and leading to nerve dysfunction. When this occurs in the hair cells of the inner ear, it can cause hearing loss, balance problems, and even frequent falls.

Given these connections, cardiovascular disease and hearing loss are closely related. Therefore, if your relatives or friends have such conditions, it is recommended to monitor their hearing every six months.

If hearing loss is suspected, schedule an appointment with an ENT specialist for a hearing test. Early diagnosis and timely use of appropriate hearing aids can help preserve communication skills and maintain a good quality of life.