{"id":883,"date":"2019-05-25T11:23:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-25T15:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlestonhearing.com\/?p=883"},"modified":"2019-07-01T18:54:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-01T22:54:00","slug":"the-link-between-hearing-loss-osteoporosis-in-charleston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearingsc.com\/the-link-between-hearing-loss-osteoporosis-in-charleston\/","title":{"rendered":"The Link Between Hearing Loss & Osteoporosis in Charleston"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charleston residents diagnosed with osteoporosis might find it wise to schedule a hearing exam. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Recent research indicates there may be a connection between the bone density disease and impaired hearing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Lowdown on Osteoporosis<\/h2>\n

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An estimated 54 million Americans<\/a> have osteoporosis, a condition in which bone mass becomes less dense over time, increasing the risk of suffering a fracture.<\/p>\n

It is most common in older people, particularly women; about half of all women over the age of 50 develop osteoporosis and a quarter of men in the same age group are affected.<\/p>\n

Bones most susceptible to fracture are those in the hips, spine and wrist.<\/p>\n

In addition to the pain associated with broken bones, osteoporosis sufferers might also contend with poor posture (many end up stooped or hunched over); a decrease in height; mobility issues; isolation and depression.<\/p>\n

One in five elderly patients who break a hip will die of complications within one year.<\/p>\n

The majority of fractures occur due to falls, but those with severe osteoporosis can break a bone by simply bumping into an object or even sneezing.<\/p>\n

What Does Hearing Loss Have to Do with Osteoporosis?<\/h2>\n

If the connection between hearing loss and osteoporosis seems odd to you, consider how the process of hearing takes place.<\/p>\n

Sound waves entering the ear are funneled to the eardrum, a thin membrane attached to the ossicles \u2013 a trio of tiny (and extremely fragile) bones in the middle ear.<\/p>\n

Because osteoporosis weakens bones, the ossicles are even more vulnerable to fracture in patients with the bone density disease.<\/p>\n

Damage to the ossicles results in hearing loss.<\/p>\n

Often, there is little warning; patients with osteoporosis can develop hearing loss suddenly.<\/p>\n

A study<\/a>\u00a0 of 10,000 patients with osteoporosis found they were 76 percent more likely to develop sudden sensorineural hearing loss than people without the disease.<\/p>\n

They also have a higher risk of experiencing tinnitus, a ringing sensation in the ears that can negatively affect quality of life.<\/p>\n

If you or a loved one has osteoporosis in Charleston<\/a>, schedule an appointment with an audiologist for a hearing exam \u2013 even if you aren\u2019t experiencing symptoms of hearing loss<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The condition can be difficult to detect, and early treatment is key.<\/p>\n

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