Natural Remedies for Hearing Loss

We’ll start this article not with a cute joke or fun expression, but instead with a sincere request:

Before trying any natural remedies for hearing loss, speak to your doctor or a qualified hearing specialist.

Doctors are not puppets of “Big Pharma,” and they don’t want to keep you sick to keep up their cash flow. There are enough sick people in the world that doctors might as well do their job and help you get better – they won’t be running out of money any time soon.

That being said, there have been countless cases where medical treatment has been effectively supplemented by natural remedies. Is such a thing possible in the world of audiology? Let’s find out!

What causes hearing loss?

To go over the best ways to prevent or remedy hearing loss, we first need a basic understanding of what hearing loss is. Hearing loss is broken into two categories – conductive and sensorineural.

Conductive hearing loss is generally an easily fixed problem, with a brief and safe surgery being the most complicated procedure needed to cure it completely.

Sensorineural hearing loss is an entirely different ball park, however. This form of hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the inner ear – more specifically the inner ear’s cilia. The cilia are microscopic hair cells that pick up on incoming sound, then transform it into electric sensation to be sent to the brain.

When enough of these cells die or take damage, their owner will start to notice sensorineural hearing loss – the kind of hearing loss that the remedies below focus on.

Top 3 Herbs for hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is – unfortunately – incurable with our current level of technology. The good news is that it is treatable with certain devices, like hearing aids and cochlear implants, or with natural substances.

“What kind of natural substances?” we hear you scream at your monitor. After all – this is most likely the reason why you’re reading this article. Without further ado, here are the natural substances reported to help treat hearing loss.

Echinacea

Also known as “coneflowers,” echinacea is a flower commonly found growing in North America. There have been a few studies that have found echinacea to be somewhat effective as an antibiotic – it has previously been tested against the common cold, as well as some other infections.

As you can tell from this description, echinacea is a nice supplement, but won’t solve your hearing loss on its own. Keep this sentiment in mind, as it will be a common theme throughout the article – natural remedies for hearing loss are supplements, not fix-all cures.

Ginger

This common ingredient in a lot of Eastern dishes has a hidden restorative property. Well, not exactly hidden – ginger has been used as a natural remedy for centuries.

Ginger is often considered a “superfood.” This term has zero scientific value, but if it was an accepted term, ginger would almost definitely fall beneath its umbrella. It has countless medicinal properties, acting as an antihistamine, painkiller, and – in this case – an antibiotic.

Not only can it help with infections, but ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties that help quell any inflammation in the nervous system. As you might remember, the nervous system is responsible for taking sound from your ears to your brain, so any measures you can take to improve your nervous system could only serve to improve your hearing.

Turmeric

Another supposed “superfood,” turmeric is also commonly used in the Eastern hemisphere for its medicinal values.

Turmeric is loaded with potassium, which is great for your ears. Alongside this, turmeric is extremely bioactive, meaning the positive changes it makes take hold quickly and effectively.

Other natural remedies for hearing loss

Not everything that can help with your hearing loss comes in the form of a pill or a leaf! There are also some daily steps you can take to avoid or relieve hearing loss.

Avoid ototoxicity

What is ototoxicity? Well, you might already be avoiding it, so well done! An ototoxic substance is one that’s bad for your ears, which could be tobacco, alcohol, or even some medications.

Ototoxicity can really come from anywhere, so avoiding it might be trickier than you expect. A qualified hearing professional will be able to inform you if anything you’re consuming or using has ototoxic properties.

Brain games

Despite hearing being mainly associated with the ear, the actual act of listening involves the ear and the brain in equal parts. After all, without a brain, you’d just be hearing a cacophony of sound, and you wouldn’t be able to process any of it.

Therefore, training your brain with little games throughout the day – whether it’s as you’re eating breakfast, or on your way home from work – can really help your ability to discern what people are saying and process sound.

Apps like Lumosity are perfect for this. Lumosity is a collection of small and quick brain games that can get your mind whirring.

Final Words

We’ll end this article as we began – by telling you that these remedies are supplemental, not substitutions for real healthcare. If you’re experiencing hearing loss, it’s a good idea to first go to a hearing specialist and discuss your options.

To do this for free, you can use our online form to sign up for an appointment with a hearing specialist near you.