December 19, 2025
ByLynne Christensen,
Staff Writer
- Reviewed byRobert H. Shmerling, MD,
Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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The high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes damage blood vessels over time, leading to such well-known complications as heart disease, kidney disease, vision problems from harm to the retina (retinopathy), and nerve damage (neuropathy). A study published in the November 2025 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery reported another diabetes-associated complication: hearing loss
Researchers analyzed data from 17 studies including a total of 3,910 people with diabetes and 4,084 people without it. Depending on the study, 41% to 72% of people with diabetes had hearing loss, revealing an average risk more than four times that of people without diabetes. The hearing loss tended to be most prominent at higher frequencies
People with less well-controlled diabetes – as indicated by a higher level of hemoglobin A1c (which reflects average blood sugar over the past three months) – were more likely to have moderate to profound hearing loss. Having diabetes for 10 years or more doubled the risk of hearing loss
If you have diabetes and notice even minor problems with your hearing, discuss it with your clinician. In addition to asking for a referral to an audiologist for a hearing evaluation, keeping your blood sugar levels well controlled may help prevent further ear damage
Image: © iparraguirre recio/Getty Images
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