How Does Cardiovascular Health Contribute To Hearing Loss?

Good cardiovascular health greatly improves your quality of life and may even help prevent hearing loss. Let’s take a look at the effect poor cardiovascular health may have on hearing loss, as well as how you can prevent it.

The Effect of Cardiovascular Disease on Hearing Loss

A study on the influence of cardiovascular health on auditory function in adults found a significant relationship between the two, with poor cardiovascular health leading to decreased auditory function.

One potential reason poor cardiovascular health may impact hearing involves blood flow to the ears. Coronary artery disease, a common heart condition, affects the major blood vessels that supply the heart and other parts of the body. Coronary artery disease is usually caused by a build-up of plaques in the heart’s arteries. This build-up is called atherosclerosis and can reduce blood flow to the heart and other parts of the body. Reduced blood flow can cause a heart attack, chest pain, stroke and may even lead to permanent hearing loss.

The tiny hair cells inside your inner ear transmit sound to your brain. Reduced blood flow from coronary artery disease can cause permanent damage to the hair cells and lead to hearing loss. Because the hair cells of the inner ear do not regenerate, taking care of them by maintaining good cardiovascular health is essential.

Tips for Better Cardiovascular Health

The Centers for Disease Control suggests forming the following four healthy habits for better cardiovascular health:

Choose healthy foods. A diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods can help keep your heart healthy. Processed foods are high in sodium, sugar, cholesterol and saturated and trans fats, all of which, consumed in excess, can lead to poor heart health.
Limit alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and contribute to the development of heart disease. The recommended limits for alcohol vary from person to person, so talk to your doctor to find the correct amount for you.
Stay active. Regular physical activity can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, all of which help improve cardiovascular health. Try going for a walk or swimming at Naples Beach to include a little extra exercise in your daily routine.
Don’t smoke. Smoking cigarettes significantly increases your risk for heart disease. Avoid smoking in any amount to protect your heart health.

Taking care of your cardiovascular health will benefit your overall health and could decrease your risk of developing heart disease-related hearing loss.

For questions about maintaining good hearing health, contact one of our trusted audiologists at Center For Hearing today.

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The Future of Hearing Devices: Deep Neural Networks & Artificial Intelligence

February 14, 2025

Hearing technology has come a long way over the years; however, one aspect of hearing loss that many hearing aids have difficulty addressing is trouble understanding speech in noise. Fortunately, some of today’s state-of-the-art devices can solve this problem utilizing deep neural networks (DNN) and artificial intelligence (AI). Sensorineural hearing loss causes difficulty understanding speech in background noise. This type of hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells of the inner ear that convert soundwaves into electrical energy, which are then interpreted by the brain. This causes the quality and quantity of the signal sent from the ears to the brain to diminish over time, resulting in the brain expending more energy and effort to make sense of it. DNNs may help improve the transmission of the neural code, making hearing easier on the brain. [1] It’s important to know what DNNs are to understand how they can help. DNNs are a subset of AI. They rapidly analyze large data sets so that they can teach hearing aids and other technological devices how to respond to data like a human would, all while verifying accuracy and making corrections. DNNs are beneficial in hearing technology because they can help with speech enhancement. DNNs can be applied as “time-frequency masks,” meaning select sounds—like speech—are allowed while other sounds are suppressed. DNNs can also identify and separate multiple voices, selecting a primary voice to emphasize and secondary voices to suppress. This feature can help hearing device wearers in a variety of settings. For example, at a restaurant or party, the hearing device can emphasize a conversation partner, allow other nearby voices at a reduced volume and suppress background noises such as dishes clinking. Schedule an appointment to talk to Center for Hearing about our vast state-of-the-art hearing solutions today— (239) 434-0086. [1] Published by Douglas L. Beck. (2021, January 15). Deep neural networks in hearing devices. Retrieved April 2, 2021 from https://www.hearingreview.com/hearing-products/hearing-aids/deep-neural-networks

Startup Aims to Develop the First Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss

February 14, 2025

A Boston biotech startup is attempting to develop the first gene therapy treatment for hearing loss. If successful, it promises to offer new hope to the estimated 300,000 Americans who suffer from gene-based hearing loss—a number that includes more than 4,000 newborns. The timing may not be ideal, but biotech companies have been largely immune from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing recession. Developing new drugs takes years, so these companies are better able to weather storms. And the efforts of biotechnology companies that are focusing on tools to prevent and treat potentially fatal health threats has resulted in soaring stock values for many of these companies, even in the face of the current crisis. Akouos, the Boston startup, was founded in 2016. Its goal is to develop the first gene therapy to treat hearing loss and is targeting a specific form of deafness that results from mutations in a single gene. They are experimenting with adeno-associated viruses, using them as vectors to deliver DNA that encodes a functioning gene in certain target cells. Around 7,000 people are afflicted with this type of genetic hearing loss. Adeno-associated viruses are considered viable candidates because they don’t usually cause disease and can be customized to treat a variety of genetic conditions. The company has partnered with two influential organizations: Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Lonza, a Swiss manufacturing company that holds contracts with various pharmaceutical makers. Manny Simons, Akouos’ co-founder and chief executive, holds a degree in neuroscience from Harvard College, a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His desire to help those with hearing loss stems from his passion for playing the piano. “It’s easy to take hearing for granted,” said in a Boston Globe interview. “Maybe because music has been important to me, it’s something that I take a little less for granted.” [1] [1] Saltzman, J. (2020, June 22). Akouos, a startup developing a gene therapy for hearing loss, raises IPO value to $125 million - The Boston Globe. Retrieved June 30, 2020, from https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/22/business/ipo-upped-akouos-boston-startup-working-gene-therapy-hearing-loss/