Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is always a disturbing problem, but it’s one that too often goes untreated. Many people who experience diminished hearing simply accept it as an unfortunate but normal part of life. While it’s true for some people, age-related hearing loss is unavoidable, the progression of many cases can be halted, significantly slowed, or even reversed with proper diagnosis and treatment. And with good nutrition and ear care, it’s often quite possible to prevent hearing loss in the first place.

Hearing is a complex combination of many processes in the ear, the nerves, and the brain, and any disruption of these functions can lead to partial or complete deafness. Nevertheless, hearing problems can generally be categorized according to one of two types: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss, which is caused by mechanical problems in the ear’s structures, is by far the more common of the two. Although its tendency to come on suddenly can be frightening, it can often be resolved.

The most frequent cause of conductive hearing impairment is a buildup of wax in the ear canal. Normally, wax (or cerumen, to use its medical name) lines the ear canal and serves as a lubricant. When too much wax accumulates, it can block the canal and can lead to hearing loss, as well as to pain and ringing in the ears. A middle-ear infection can also cause a blockage, especially if the infected fluid remains in the ear for a long time and coagulates around the small bones (ossicles) that are responsible for transmitting sound waves. Ear infections and excessive ear wax are both radically treatable, often with home care, and several highly effective nutritional strategies can prevent the problem from recurring.

In some instances, conductive hearing damage is more serious. If you suffer hearing loss after a fall or a blow to the ear or the head, of if you experience a sudden, intense pain in your ear, see your doctor at once. You may have a ruptured ear drum or damage to the hearing sensor, called the organ of Corti. Even innocuous-looking cotton swabs can cause grave damage, including ruptures, when inserted deep into the ear canal. Some drugs can also affect the organ of Corti, so talk to your doctor if you experience hearing loss after starting a new prescription drug. Finally, some conductive hearing damage may simply be a part of aging. As the body gets older, the eardrum can thicken and other ear structures may grow weak, leading to partial loss of hearing. More than 40 percent of people seventy-five and older experience some degree of hearing problems.

Sensorineural hearing damage affects the nerves that receive sound waves and transmit their impulses through the ear and to the brain, where the impulses are registered as the sensory perception of sound. Almost all sensorineural hearing damage is due to high levels of noise. Loud concerts and stereos turned up to full volume may be the most obvious source of excessive noise, but sirens, airplanes, trains, jackhammers, and construction sounds are common culprits as well. Every time you’re exposed to a loud noise, your auditory nerves are damaged; a lifetime of noises can add up to permanent hearing loss. In some cases, sensorineural hearing problems are caused by other disorders, including diabetes, arteriosclerosis, lupus, and hypothyroidism. And again, sometimes nerves simply weaken with age and lose their ability to conduct sound effectively. However, recent research has shown that loud noises form free radicals that damage the inner ear. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, zinc, NAC, magnesium, and vitamin A appear to protect against this cause of damage, although they have not been shown to reverse hearing loss. In some cases, tumor growths on the nerves involved with hearing are responsible for the hearing loss. One must also consider other structural possibilities, such as vertebral and soft tissue misalignment in the neck and the jaw (TMJ), as well as in cranial bones.

No matter what you suspect the source of your hearing problems to be, it’s important that you consult a doctor about any sudden hearing loss or any gradual hearing damage that does not resolve itself within a few weeks. For one, the problem may be treatable. Even if you’re older and believe that the hearing problem is due to age-related deterioration of ear structures or nerves, you may be surprised to find that the cause is actually wax buildup (something to which people over sixty-five are prone) or a side effect of medication. If the cause is not obvious to your doctor, he or she should run tests to rule out an underlying disorder. Finally, even hearing problems that are not reversible by natural means can often be significantly improved with hearing aids, electronic implants, or even surgery.

** All of these prescriptions below have been proven effective; level of effectiveness depends on the individual. Please consult your doctor when taking any and all supplements.

Symptoms

Root Causes

TREATMENT

Diet

Recommended Food

Although no one has proven (yet) that antioxidants can reduce or prevent hearing loss, we do know that they slow many aspects of the aging process. Increasing your antioxidant intake by consuming more deeply colored fruits and vegetables certainly can’t hurt you, and it may prevent or slow hearing damage (along with many other disorders we tend to associate with old age).

Eat plenty of fiber at every meal. Good sources include whole grains, especially oats and brown rice; beans; nuts and seeds; and raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables. Fiber will improve circulation to your entire body, including your ears. Fibrous foods also tend to require chewing, an activity that discourages wax from accumulating in your ear canals.

Since hypothyroidism can lead to hearing loss, include sea vegetables such as kelp, in your diet. These foods are high in iodine, a mineral that’s necessary for good thyroid health. You can easily incorporate sea vegetables into soups, especially miso broth, or add them to a stir-fry with brown rice and tofu.

Foods to Avoid

If you experience frequent ear infections or a buildup of earwax, you may have a food allergy. If a certain food provokes ear problems or excess mucus (which can lead to infection), avoid it.

Even if you are not allergic to milk or dairy products, stay away from them for the duration of an infection or a wax problem. Dairy encourages mucus to accumulate, which can encourage infection or excess wax.

If you have a chronic hearing problem, eliminate saturated fat, especially red meat and fried foods, from your diet. Saturate fat contributes to earwax and slows circulation to the ear structures. Removing saturated fat from your meals and snacks will also help reverse arteriosclerosis, a disorder that may cause hearing loss.

Bacteria feed on sugar, so people who are prone to ear infections should radically reduce their consumption of it. The best course of action is to cut out all refined sugars and have fruit or naturally sweetened products for dessert.

Detoxification

If you have recurring ear infections or wax problems, a short juice fast will help clear your body of excess mucus. Fasting is also helpful for people whose hearing loss is connected to food allergens, as a three-day respite from solid food will rid your system of the toxic substance.

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