Diabetics, who were warned for years that their illness could cause blindness, are in for more bad news, as doctors have claimed that the patients are more likely to lose their hearing, too.

Japanese research has found that hearing problems are far more common in diabetics than their healthy counterparts, even when other factors such as ageing and a noisy environment are taken into account, the Daily Mail reported.

Lead author of the study, Chika Horikawa of Niigata University, said: “We found that people with diabetes had more than two times higher prevalence of hearing impairment than those without diabetes.”

Several studies have investigated the relationship between diabetes and hearing impairment but their findings were inconsistent.

However, links have been made between hearing loss and other conditions such as dementia and depression.

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Low levels of Vitamin D in the blood can contribute to a person’s risk of developing Type 1 diabetes, new research has found.

A study led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has found a correlation between vitamin D3 serum levels and subsequent incidence of Type 1 diabetes.

The six-year study of blood levels of nearly 2,000 individuals suggests a preventive role for vitamin D3 in this disease.

“Previous studies proposed the existence of an association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of and Type 1 diabetes, but this is the first time that the theory has been tested in a way that provides the dose-response relationship,” said Cedric Garland, DrPH, FACE, professor in UCSD’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.

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Orthopaedics expert, Dr VV Prasad answers readers’ questions on bone health. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Monday.

This week’s answers:

Hello Dr.prasad.

I, Dr.Altaf Ahmed Khan,from Pakistan, wants to get your help and advice about my shoulder problem. Doctors often skip my statement about start of my problem. and this is the reason to contact you.

One night I was sleeping spreading my left hand over my shoulders..when I awaked in the morning at 4 o’clock, I didn’t feel my left hand. when I was trying to sit , MY LEFT ARM COME IN FRONT BY REVOLVING BEHIND MY BACK WITH NO SENSE OF PAIIN. since then I have a feeling of pain in my shoulders ball & socket joint. and now it is increased. one of physiotherapist has advised me to have icing tikor on the joint lining. along with this my left side muscle of the neck is also pulled last one week ago.

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