It comes as no surprise that as you get older, you find that certain functions of your body don’t work at their best as they once did. One such example is your hearing. Did you know that in the United States alone, around one in eight people experience hearing loss from both ears? As you can imagine, hearing loss isn’t an unusual problem.
When you get medical advice for hearing loss, one of the things that doctors will often recommend is that you wear hearing aids. There are many different types available, and in a range of shapes and sizes for both children and adults. But, one thing you may not be aware of is that some people attempt more natural ways to combat their hearing loss problems.
You are likely reading this blog post today because you have concerns over your hearing. If that’s the case and you’d like to explore different methods of reversing your hearing loss, take a look at these five intriguing ways that have been known to work for other people:
1. Ear wax removal
We all have a small amount of cerumen or “ear wax” in our ears. Its purpose is to provide a natural defense mechanism against bacteria, infections, and dirt particles. When we have a bath, shower, or even go for a swim, the water that splashes inside our ears helps to reduce abnormally high levels of ear wax.
Some people, unfortunately, have high levels of cerumen in their ears, and that causes them to experience mild hearing loss. It’s worth checking with your doctor if you have a high build-up of ear wax, as you risk causing damage to your ear canals or drums if you attempt to remove it yourself.
2. Giving up smoking
Most people assume that smoking only causes significant problems with the lungs and heart. What might surprise you to learn is that smoking can also affect your hearing! When you smoke, your body’s intake of nicotine and carbon monoxide makes it hard to maintain the healthy cells in your inner ear.
Smoking can also irritate the lining of your middle ear and even cause tinnitus (a ringing sensation in your ears). Therefore, it makes sense to give up smoking as doing so offers numerous health benefits – one of which is the improvement of your hearing!
3. Consuming foods rich in vitamins and minerals
Another interesting way to reverse hearing loss is to change your diet, believe it or not! There are many vitamins and minerals that aid hearing and ear function.
For example, folic acid, found in leafy green vegetables like spinach, promotes blood circulation to your inner ear. Magnesium, often found in seafood and legumes (seeds and beans), keeps blood vessels relaxed and improves circulation to your inner ear, and also reduces the severity of tinnitus. Zinc, of which an abundance can be found in red meat and legumes, helps to prevent ear infections.
4. Having acupuncture sessions
Acupuncture is a type of medical treatment that traces its origins to ancient Chinese medicine. The idea behind acupuncture is that it helps people to manage pain caused by various medical conditions and traumas. It’s a widely known and accepted form of treatment around the world and is even used in Western medical treatments.
There is plenty of scientific evidence to suggest that acupuncture (or acupressure) helps patients that experience temporary neurosensory deafness. One example describes how acupuncture restored hearing loss in a child’s right ear when conventional treatments failed to reverse the symptoms.
5. Drinking herbal teas
Some types of deafness are sadly irreversible, such as sensorineural hearing loss, and will typically require hearing aids or cochlear implants. But, the good news is many people that require such technology have found that natural alternatives do as good a job of improving their hearing.
One of the methods we talked about in this blog post so far includes consuming foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals. Did you know that drinking certain herbal teas can also offer people with hearing loss the chance to improve their condition?
As you might expect, there are a plethora of herbal teas available to drink. The herbs that specifically aid in reversing hearing loss include echinacea, ginger, and even turmeric, believe it or not!
Final thoughts
There are plenty of natural alternatives to conventional methods of reversing hearing loss. Some will no doubt work better than others, depending on the individual trying them out. But, in any event, it’s best to discuss your intentions with your doctor first.
