- There are two types of diabetes that can result in elevated levels of blood glucose. Type 1 Diabetes results from the body's inability to produce a hormone, insulin, which is required to convert glucose into energy that cells in the body can use. In Type 2 Diabetes, the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or ignores the insulin. By not converting glucose into substances that the body can use, it builds up in the body. Elevated levels of glucose can damage eyes, kidneys and nerves. It can be a contributor to heart disease and can damage hearing.
- Elevated levels of glucose can cause damage to small blood vessels and nerves. Hearing is dependent on nerves and these small blood vessels. Damage to blood vessels occurs because glucose is sharp: In high concentrations, it cuts holes in cell walls and structures. If the levels are extremely high, it can cause stress on a cell and cause the cell to swell. In some cases, excess glucose can make blood thicker, making it too thick to flow through the tiny veins of the ears.
Damage to cell walls and the inability of the blood to pass through the tiny capillaries of the ears can cause nerves and other organs in the ears to either not perform well or to stop working entirely. - The best way for people with diabetes to control blood glucose levels, and thereby avoid complications due to elevated glucose, is to follow a prescribed regimen. Following a doctor's advice about diet, exercise and medication will prevent excessively high levels of glucose from building up and possibly causing, among other things, hearing loss. This could include frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels via an electronic monitor or the wearing of an artificial insulin pump to keep glucose levels in the body to acceptable levels. The exact regimen and treatment will depend on a number of factors, including whether the diabetes is Type 1 or Type 2 and a variety of other physiological factors that can only be determined by a doctor.
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