Osteoporosis can cause hearing loss
An American study has shown that people with osteoporosis are at an increased risk of hearing loss.
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease which causes low bone mineral density. This means that the bones become fragile and porous which increases the risk of fractures. If you suffer from osteoporosis, even simple everyday activities can result in bone fractures. Osteoporosis also affects the three tiny bones in the middle ear: the hammer (malleus), the anvil (incus) and the stirrup (stapes). Osteoporosis is more common among people who are older, are underweight and/or smoke.
Why osteoporosis cause hearing loss
The three bones in the middle ear transmit sounds from the outer ear into the inner ear. When these bones are damaged by osteoporosis, it may cause a hearing loss. The study found that an imbalance in bone formation and bone resorption caused by osteoporosis may lead to a hearing loss. The study found that osteoporosis was significantly associated with hearing loss despite nationality, age and gender.
About the study
The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 articles. The study conducted eight studies involving 52,828 participants who had osteoporosis and their hearing status assessed. The studies were carried out in USA, Turkey and Korea and the participants were 18 years old or older.
The study “A significant association between osteoporosis and hearing loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis” was published in Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology.
Sources www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov , www.medicinenet.com and Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology