Eventually, you realize you’re pressing the “volume up” button on the remote more often or telling people around you to speak loudly. While there are many misconceptions regarding hearing loss, there are two plausible reasons people lose their hearing ability.
The first reason is noise. Exposure to loud sounds for prolonged periods can damage the hair cells. Secondly, the tiny hair cells in your inner ear gradually deteriorate, reducing the ability to detect sound vibrations effectively.
There are plenty of ways you can improve your hearing naturally with little effort. They can significantly reduce noise-induced hearing loss and decelerate the progression of age-related hearing loss. In this blog, let’s understand how to improve hearing and prevent hearing loss with easy, natural measures. Also, learn how flexible payment plans can help you afford necessary treatment.
What to Consider?
(a) Improve Your Diet
A change in your diet will improve your overall health, not just your hearing. It will help your ear function properly and be in sync with your surroundings. Some foods you can take include:
- Seeds and nuts
- Salmon or trout
- Whole grains
- All dairy products, eggs, fruits, and leafy vegetables. They are enriched with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Fruits like blueberries are rich in antioxidants and help eradicate free radicals. These can build up throughout your body and affect the functioning of your major organs, like ears.
Moreover, including foods that provide B-vitamin supplements can greatly reduce hearing loss problems. B vitamins are scientifically proven to improve blood circulation in the ear by expanding tiny blood vessels, promoting nerve function, and averting age-related hearing loss.
Avoid these foods!
Some foods can harm the functionality of your ears. So watch out for these foods:
- Foods that are high in cholesterol or saturated animal fat. They can block your arteries, dampening ear function.
- Foods with high salt levels or sodium. They can cause excessive fluid retention in your ears.
- Foods that contain heavy metals like mercury. They are not just toxic to the small inner ear nerves but also harm the whole body.
(b) Stop Smoking
Hearing impairment and smoking are unarguably related. According to research, smoking accelerates the symptoms of age-related hearing loss called presbycusis. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide and nicotine can adversely affect the flow of blood and oxygen in the inner ear. Therefore, avoid tobacco if you want to enhance your hearing abilities.
Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
How to Naturally Improve Hearing Through Physical Exercises
Adopting regular exercising habits is good for your cardiovascular health and does wonders for your ears. Jogging and morning walks enhance your blood circulation, which can take your auditory health to another level.
Physical exercise also includes house chores like gardening, cleaning, and mopping, which are healthy as well as productive. Bear in mind that any activity that gets your heartbeat up for a short time is beneficial.
Strike a pose
Yoga is utterly helpful in enhancing your hearing ability. There are plenty of yoga poses that help stretch your shoulders and spine and increase blood flow from top to bottom. You can try the lotus, cobra, tree, and triangle poses.
A study revealed that yoga can significantly help individuals suffering from tinnitus. Tinnitus refers to the experience of hearing sounds even when there is no external source of sound present. It is often described as a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or humming sound in the ears. Whether you’re a novice or a guru, engaging in regular yoga practice will profoundly improve your hearing.
Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
How to Improve Hearing Through Mental Exercises
According to research, there is a unique link between hearing loss and mental health issues among U.S. adults aged 18 or older.
Just like physical exercise, mental exercise has an immense effect on hearing, especially as you grow older. Having a healthy brain keeps your cognitive functions better. Ultimately, it helps reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s.
(a) Meditation can naturally improve hearing
Meditation reduces stress. It restricts the production of adrenaline and cortisol hormones and increases blood flow. A study revealed that meditation improves oxygenation, which is good for the ears.
Moreover, through meditation, individuals can enhance their concentration power. It helps identify and focus on the sounds in the surrounding area, further promoting overall cognitive health and hearing abilities.
(b) Puzzles improve hearing and mental awareness
Solving puzzles is an excellent exercise for your brain, especially crossword puzzles. They help reduce anxiety and stave off stress and depression. This helps defend against the hearing impairment that goes with them.
The Differences in Hearing Loss and How to Overcome Them
Mainly, there are three types of hearing impairment:
- Sensorineural
- Conductive
- Mixed
1. Sensorineural hearing loss and its treatment
It’s the most common type of hearing impairment caused by damage to one’s auditory nerve, known as the cilium. Cilia (plural) are tiny, hair-like structures present in the inner ear. In most cases, Meniere’s disease causes sensorineural hearing impairment.
Statistics show that more than 45,500 people suffer from Meniere’s disease in the U.S. every year.
Once damaged, it is almost impossible to repair your auditory nerve. However, depending on the severity of the damage, one can successfully treat it with cochlear implants. A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged auditory system and stimulates the cilia.
Cochlear implants can be expensive but look for a doctor’s office providing flexible payment plans via Denefits. Patients can break down the treatment costs into easy, monthly installments.
It has a NO CREDIT CHECK POLICY and instant approvals, helping patients get the care they need without worrying about out-of-pocket expenses.
2. Conductive hearing loss and its treatment
The causes of conductive hearing impairment are usually an obstruction or damage to the outer ear. There could be a traumatic break in the connection between the bones and the middle ear, or wax impaction. Conductive hearing loss can be permanent or temporary.
To treat it, doctors need to address the root causes of blockages such as wax impaction, foreign objects in your ear, or infection.
Foreign objects and wax can be removed surgically, and bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics.
3. Mixed hearing loss and its treatment
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. For instance, when your outer or middle ear fails to conduct sound to your inner ear, individual damage to the inner ear occurs.
In such complicated cases, your doctor might recommend treating either conductive or sensorineural hearing loss or both. Mixed hearing loss surgery covers costly invasive procedures and antibiotics.
As a patient, always look out for an audiologist or ENT specialist that uses Denefits and can offer flexible payment options for the treatment.
Endnote
Following a healthy lifestyle and taking measures to prevent hearing loss can have a positive impact on your overall health. Always remember that untreated hearing loss can harm your health in many ways. You might feel socially isolated, leading to depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Moreover, you can experience adverse physical symptoms like tinnitus, muscle tension, headaches, and more.
It’s important to see an ENT specialist as soon as you experience a hearing impairment. Talk to them and get treated without delay. Ask your doctor if they use payment plan software like Denefits to make the treatment more accessible and affordable.
