You may think a person needs a hearing aid as a result of age or damage to the ear from high-pitched sounds, but there are other factors. On April 7, 2010, in honor of World Health Day, Miracle-Ear announced three other causes. Rebecca Younk, an audiologist with the company, said cancer, arthritis, and diabetes can all contribute to onset of hearing loss.

According to Younk, treatments for cancer, including chemotherapy and radiation, may damage hearing if the radiation field includes the ears. When an individual suffers from arthritis, the joints can swell, causing blood vessels to compress and restricting the blood flow. An inadequate supply of blood to the inner ear can damage hearing. While the damage may not be reversible, a hearing aid may compensate for it. According to the National Institutes of Health, hearing loss is approximately twice as likely to occur in adults who have diabetes when compared to adults who don’t have it. The disease may negatively impact hearing by causing damage to the blood vessels and nerves located in the inner ear.

People who have one of these diseases may want to get their hearing tested to determine whether or not damage has occurred and, if it has, whether or not a hearing aid may help. If possible, Younk suggested patients with cancer have their hearing checked before treatment begins and again at the end of treatment. Hearing tests can be important for all individuals. The Better Hearing Institute reports over 65% of people with hearing loss are under the age of 65. In the United States, over six million individuals between 18 and 44 have hearing loss. Even school-age kids can need a hearing aid. Approximately one and a half million U.S. children have hearing loss.