The excessive consumption of sugar has long been associated with several health disorders, including those related to the gastrointestinal system, diabetes, heart problems, and so on. In addition to these health issues, eating too much sugary foods can also lead to various auditory issues over the long term. It can cause different problems, including hearing loss. Here are some common warning signs of poor hearing caused by excessive sugar in meals and snacks.
Difficulty understanding speech
Excessive sugar consumption over several years can gradually cause hearing loss. As a result, you may struggle with understanding conversations. When talking to others, you may often ask them to repeat themselves several times. It happens because high blood sugar levels can damage the nerves and small blood vessels in the inner ear.
There is ringing in the ears or tinnitus
The high intake of sugar over several years has been known to trigger inflammation. If this inflammation occurs in the nerves close to the ears and the brain, it can cause persistent ringing in your ears, which do not come from external sources in your surroundings. Also known as tinnitus, this ringing sensation in the ears occurs due to nerve damage due to inflammation.
The sensitivity to sound decreases
Another sign of poor hearing due to excessive sugar is reduced sensitivity to different sounds. It becomes difficult to hear sounds of low and high frequencies. People experiencing this symptom may be unable to perceive certain pitches in conversations, songs, or their surroundings.
There is trouble hearing in noisy environments
Eating too many sugary foods such as desserts, baked goods, beverages, processed foods, and so on can negatively affect auditory processing. It can make it harder to hear different sounds in extremely noisy environments. You will find it challenging to follow conversations in loud or crowded places.
There are frequent instances of ear infections
The excess sugar in the body can react with proteins produced by the immune system. It can cause inflammatory changes in the body’s overall immunity. The side effect is that an individual becomes susceptible to frequent infections, including ear infections. If there are multiple instances of ear infections over the years, it can lead to hearing loss.
