Women with osteoporosis and low bone density have higher risk of hearing loss
May 25 2021
Hearing loss is the third most common chronic health condition in the United States. Previous studies of people with hearing loss have uncovered higher prevalence of osteoporosis a disease in which the bones become weak and brittle and low bone density (LBD).
But research on whether these conditions may influence risk of hearing loss over time is scarce. It is also unknown whether hearing loss can be avoided by taking bisphosphonates, the primary medication used to prevent fractures in people with reduced bone density. As part of the Conservation of Hearing Study (CHEARS), researchers from Brigham and Women s Hospital analyzed data from nearly 144,000 women who were followed for up to 34 years.
Say What? How Osteoporosis and Low Bone Density Link to Hearing Loss
As part of the Conservation of Hearing Study (CHEARS), researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed data from nearly 144,000 women who were followed for up to 34 years. They found that risk of subsequent moderate or worse hearing loss was up to 40% higher in study participants with osteoporosis or LBD.
The study, published in the
“Adult onset hearing loss is typically irreversible; therefore, CHEARS focuses on identifying potentially modifiable risk factors that may contribute to hearing loss.
“We were inspired by a recent study that found that bisphosphonates may help prevent noise-induced hearing damage in mice. We wanted to investigate whether bisphosphonates alter risk of hearing loss in adults, in addition to whether there is a longitudinal association between osteoporosis or LBD and risk of subsequent hearing loss.”
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BOSTON Hearing loss is the third most common chronic health condition in the United States. Previous studies of people with hearing loss have uncovered higher prevalence of osteoporosis a disease in which the bones become weak and brittle and low bone density (LBD). But research on whether these conditions may influence risk of hearing loss over time is scarce. It is also unknown whether hearing loss can be avoided by taking bisphosphonates, the primary medication used to prevent fractures in people with reduced bone density. As part of the Conservation of Hearing Study (CHEARS), researchers from Brigham and Women s Hospital analyzed data from nearly 144,000 women who were followed for up to 34 years. They found that risk of subsequent moderate or worse hearing loss was up to 40 percent higher in study participants with osteoporosis or LBD. The study, published in the
Study: Apple’s AirPods Pro has ‘clear, functional value’ for folks with mild to moderate hearing loss
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“Traditional hearing aids use algorithms to amplify speech signals, but do not provide a noise cancellation mode,” explains Nancy Williams, president of Auditory Insight. “However, we believe that as consumers become more engaged in their hearing health, they will view on-demand protection to be as important as amplification.”
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Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health
The Apple Hearing Study is sharing new data from thousands of participants across the US in an effort to help people better understand their hearing health.
The Apple Hearing Study is one of the studies launched within the Research app that are helping democratize how medical research is conducted by giving Apple customers the ability to participate in groundbreaking research using technology they’ve already made a part of their everyday lives. The study is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and data is being shared with the World Health Organization’s Make Listening Safe initiative.