How Iron Deficiency Affects Hearing Loss

Red blood cells are unable to carry enough oxygen for your body without a sufficient amount of iron. What results with an iron deficiency, which is also known as anemia, is a low red blood cell count. Anemia can cause serious health problems, including hearing loss.

Anemia and hearing loss

An adequate amount of iron is necessary for your auditory system and other organs to function correctly. Not having enough iron in your blood is called anemia. It results in a lack of hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen) in red blood cells. Cells act poorly or die off without a sufficient supply of oxygen. If such an event occurs within your ear’s labyrinthine (main source of blood to your inner ear), your hearing could be lost. Anemia also impedes myelin production (a substance around nerve strands that helps with conduction). Such an interference can mess up nerves, including the fragile hair cells that conduct sound from your ears to your brain.

While studies indicate a linkage between iron deficiency anemia and hearing loss, more information is required to better understand the connection. Early treatment of anemia may possibly alleviate hearing problems. Research indicates that people with anemia are twice as likely to have hearing problems than those without the condition. There are three forms of hearing loss associated with anemia. One form is sensorineural, another one is conductive, and the third is mixed. Sensorineural hearing loss impinges upon the inner ear or neural pathways. This usually happens with marring to the inner ear or auditory nerve. Disorders or diseases affecting the outer and/or inner ear are indicative of conductive hearing loss. Having both disorders, along with anemia, is called mixed hearing loss and constitutes the most common kind. According to the research, 3.4 percent of the studied anemic people had the mixed form.

Getting a good dose of iron

While having adequate iron levels by itself might not prevent hearing loss, good nutrition has been connected to healthy hearing. Combining foods high in iron, like nuts, meat, dark chocolate, and dark leafy greens with foods high in vitamin C, like strawberries, broccoli, and orange juice can create adequate iron levels in your blood. For a better understanding, please contact your hearing instrument specialist at Pure Sound Hearing Aids.

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