Hearing loss can have many causes. There is no doubt that age-related hearing loss is the most common human auditory disorder, affecting about 40 per cent of those over the age of 75, worldwide (J. Am. Geriatr. Soc., 1995).
However, hearing loss is neither necessarily permanent nor inevitable. A number of solvable problems could be causing your loss of hearing, so it is worth checking out those first.
Interestingly, if you regularly take aspirin (perhaps to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke), or painkillers such as ibuprofen to relieve joint pain, they can, in some cases, interfere with the ability to hear properly.
They can even bring on tinnitus. If you do take either of these, the best way to check if they are affecting your hearing is to try three weeks without them. This would have to be done with the knowledge of your doctor if, for example, aspirin is prescribed. There are many drugs linked to hearing loss (Hear Res., 2009), so do check the possible side effects of any that you are taking.
If you are experiencing dizziness or a full feeling in your ears, along with your hearing loss, check with your local naturopath or complementary nurse practitioner to see whether you simply need wax removing.
Try to resist the temptation to do this yourself with a cotton bud. This can have the effect of pushing the wax even deeper inside the ear canal. It is always better to get your ears cleaned by a professional.
Incredibly, nutrition can have an effect on hearing loss. A lack of specific nutrients is well known, so it is worth getting your vitamin levels checked.
Low levels of vitamin B12 and folate have been linked to age-related hearing loss (Am. J. Clin. Nutr, 1999). However, studies have found that simple supplementation is not the answer. It seems the real cause could be ‘gastric hypochlorhydria’, which is a decrease in stomach acid production. This happens with age in some people and could be the problem.
Incredibly, nutrition can have an effect on hearing loss
If the stomach isn’t producing enough acid, you cannot digest your food, or your supplements, properly. So even if you do supplement with B vitamins, your lack of stomach acid is not allowing the supplements to do their job in your system.
Around 30 per cent of people aged over 60 have atrophic gastritis (chronic inflammation of the stomach lining). As a result hypochlorhydria inhibits the release of dietary protein-bound B12, causing a persistent deficiency (JAMA, 1997).
It is definitely worth getting this checked. There are solutions to this, which is usually taking a natural remedy before the main meals each day. When the stomach acid has been normalised, in most cases about one-third of older people with hearing loss gradually improve when they then supplement with B12 and folic acid. They are then allowed to do their job. For the other two-thirds of people, it may be that nutritional deficiency is the true root of the problem.
A deficiency in zinc may also be a cause of hearing loss, especially if it is accompanied by tinnitus. Zinc supplements can often correct this. Zinc has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, which reduces oxidative stress on the cochlea, the spiral structure that transforms vibrations into sound (Laryngoscope, 2011). Zinc is best absorbed while you sleep, so take it in the late afternoon or evening.
In studies, magnesium has been implicated in hearing loss. Supplements have been repeatedly shown to reduce both temporary and permanent hearing loss (Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Larygol, 2004).
Finally, vitamin D. A deficiency of this vitamin is reportedly common in ear, nose and throat patients, so supplements may help those not responding to other treatments. Alternatively, exposing your skin to sunlight for 15 minutes or so (without sunscreen) every day would give your vitamin D levels a boost. In Malta, the time of day in the summer is crucial, so be sensible about the time of day to avoid extreme heat.
Eating pomegranates and other dietary sources rich in antioxidants, such as green tea and turmeric, can protect against ultraviolet sun damage.
Another possible cause is vestibular schwannoma, which is also known as acoustic neuroma. This is a benign, and usually slow-growing, tumour that develops in the nerves supplying the inner ear, which control the hearing and balance. The tumour results from an over production of Schwann cells, which normally wrap around nerve fibres (like onion skin) to structurally support and insulate the nerves. As the tumour grows, it impinges on the nerves, often causing one-sided hearing loss. Ultimately, it may be necessary to resort to surgery.
Another treatment is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This involves inhaling 100 per cent oxygen while lying in a whole-body chamber. In one study, nearly 60 per cent of patients with sudden hearing loss improved after a combination of oxygen therapy and vasodilatation infusion treatment. This delivers pharmacological agents intravenously to increase the amount of oxygen carried in the blood supply. Those who started this combination treatment soon after their hearing loss started achieved the most dramatic improvements (Undersea. Hyperb. Med., 2011).
kathryn@maltanet.net