Dr Carling was delighted to be guest speaker on ‘Diabetes Chai Chat’ earlier this month. Hosted by Rt Hon Keith Vaz and organised by diabetes awareness charity Silver Star Diabetes, this weekly online platform allows diabetes patients, their families and practitioners to discuss issues and share information on an informal basis about diabetes and the management of their conditions.
Dr Carling spoke for 20 minutes on the impact of hearing loss and its association with diabetes and then answered questions from many of those who had joined the talk. Numerous studies have identified a link between hearing loss and diabetes, with hearing loss often twice as common among those who suffer with diabetes. While the exact cause of this is unknown, studies suggest that this is due to neuropathy (nerve damage) which is a complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Research has identified that prolonged high blood glucose levels may lead to hearing loss by affecting the supply of blood or oxygen to the small nerves and blood vessels in the inner hear, which over time can become damaged and affect a person’s ability to hear. *
Dr Carling commented: “It was a pleasure to talk to those who attend this valuable event. I’m delighted that it was a success for all concerned and it is an excellent forum to help raise awareness of hearing loss, diabetes and the link between the two conditions. I’m looking forward to being involved with Silver Star Diabetes again in the future.”
*Source: www.diabetes.co.uk