March’s National Kidney Month is an opportune time to better understand kidney function and hear the facts about how it relates to our auditory system.
Did you know your kidneys filter all of your blood up to 25 times daily?
Located below the rib cage, on each side of your spine, kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about the size of a fist. They remove wastes, extra fluids and acids from your body, while helping to maintain ideal balances of water, salts and minerals in your blood. Without this continuous cleansing process, nerves, muscles, and other tissues may not function normally. Case in point, the specialized workings of your inner ear’s miniscule cochlea with an estimated length of 1/3” and width of 1/4”.
It is estimated that for 37 million American adults with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), 54% have some hearing loss. From a body system perspective, being aware of these risk factors makes sense.
CKD includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to keep you healthy. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen slowly over a long period of time.
Do you have chronic kidney disease or know anyone receiving dialysis treatment? Please see us or encourage them to get periodic evaluations to accurately assess the type and degree of hearing loss.
In close coordination with other healthcare providers, we will suggest healthy options to improve your quality of life and awareness of hearing-related CKD risk factors.
