In late 2016, in a study done by BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders in Norway of nearly 45,000 participants, it was proven that there IS in fact a connection between Fibromyalgia and Hearing Loss.
This is great news, because in prior years, studies that had been done were inconclusive.
Fibromyalgia has been a known condition since the mid-1500s. Prior to the 1970s, it was called Rheumatism.
But what exactly is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is defined by widespread pain amplified within the central nervous system alongside fatigue, memory impairment, sleep and mood disturbances, and other comorbidities. (https://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-centers/contemporary-fibromyalgia-approaches/fibromyalgia-linked-subjective-hearing-loss/893)
How does that translate to hearing loss?
Basically, with Fibromyalgia, the person’s nerves perceive pain when there is no cause – meaning that the pain is real for the person, because their nerves are telling them they are in pain – even though there is no evidence that they should be feeling pain.
It is theorized that these problems with the central nervous system cause altered perception with other senses, like hearing.
The Norwegian study was conducted with 66,000+ participants, and just under 45,000 of them reported having fibromyalgia or other musculoskeletal pain.
Compared to the control group, those who suffered with fibromyalgia were 4.5 times more likely to suffer from hearing loss. (https://www.bc-legal.co.uk/bcdn/137-185-fibromyalgia-research-links-disorder-with-hearing-loss#_edn1)
Unfortunately, this doesn’t do anything to provide a cure, for either hearing loss or fibromyalgia.
But it does offer hope that if your hearing loss is related to fibromyalgia, there may be a cure in the future.
Scientists are getting closer to a cure every day.
If you are experiencing hearing loss, no matter what the cause, we can help. A hearing assessment will help determine what health issues may or may not be causing your hearing loss and allow us to make recommendations to help you start hearing well again.
Give us a call. Make an appointment. Change your life.
We can’t wait to help you gain a better hearing lifestyle. Here at Anderson Audiology we are committed to better hearing and committed to you! Contact us today and schedule an appointment.