High cholesterol is something that millions of Brits deal with. It is estimated that more than half (54%) of Brits could have high total cholesterol levels.
Elevated cholesterol levels put extra strain on your heart as it works harder to pump blood through your arteries that are becoming blocked. This could lead to a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
Most people can be completely unaware of how high their cholesterol levels are. The only way to know for sure is to have a blood test run by a doctor and check your LDL and HDL levels.
Because this condition has no obvious symptoms until it is too late, earning it the ‘silent killer’ title, it can be years before people are diagnosed. But by then, lots of the damage has already been done.
There may be some common warning signs, such as skin growths (xanthomas), chest pain (angina) and potentially visible deposits in the eyes or skin. But lots more are subtle, which you should raise with your doctor.
One not-so-common sign that may seem like it has absolutely no connection to your heart is hearing loss. People should not ignore any of their body’s warnings as this may be due to high cholesterol, research shows.
A 2011 study found both that a diet high in cholesterol can negatively impact hearing and that switching to a low-cholesterol diet and taking cholesterol-lowering medications may decrease your risk. A more recent 2014 study also found that patients with high cholesterol were more likely to experience sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) experts claim that cholesterol build-up can disrupt blood flow to certain parts of the body, including the ears. They add: “The hair cells of your inner ear are crucial to hearing.
“Poor blood flow or reduced oxygen levels can damage these cells, and once this happens, there is no way for them to be repaired or regenerated. Once enough hair cells have been damaged, you will experience permanent hearing loss.”
Any hearing loss due to high cholesterol is likely gradual. However, since early treatment will provide the best hearing outcomes, it’s important to be on alert for any signs and to schedule a hearing test if you experience them. Signs include:
- Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ear)
- Trouble hearing-high pitched sounds
- Difficulty following conversations, especially on the phone or when out somewhere busy
- Needing people to repeat themselves frequently
- Turning the volume up on the TV or radio louder than you used to
