People who have osteoporosis face a 1.76-fold higher risk of developing sudden deafness than those who do not have the bone disease, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. According to an Endocrine Society announcement, osteoporosis, a progressive condition in which bones become structurally weak and are more likely to fracture or break, more than 40 million people nationwide have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing the condition due to low bone mass. And, osteoporosis can make one susceptible to other health issues, say the study authors.

“A growing body of evidence indicates that osteoporosis affects not only bone health, but the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems,” said one of the study’s authors, Kai-Jen Tien, MD, of the Chi Mei Medical Center in Taiwan. “Our findings suggest sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) can be another broader health problem connected to osteoporosis.”

In their article, Tien and co-authors explain that sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or sudden deafness, typically occurs in one ear and can happen all at once or over the course of several days. About half of the people who develop SSHL will spontaneously regain their hearing, but it is important to seek treatment immediately. About 85 percent of those who are treated for the condition recover some hearing.

The researchers are not yet sure what biological mechanism is responsible for the relationship between osteoporosis and SSHL, but Tien theorizes that cardiovascular risk factors, bone demineralization, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction may contribute to the association.

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