Hearing loss may refer to any form of the inability in hearing, either partially or completely. It may occur in one or both ears. According to the hearing loss association of America, there are three types of hearing loss:
- Conductive hearing loss
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Mixed hearing loss
There are several causes of hearing loss, which include exposure to loud noise, infection in the ear, autoimmune diseases, ageing, perforated eardrum, ageing, allergy, foreign body in the ear, etc. Although preventable, hearing loss affects about 1.1 billion people worldwide, causing disability in over 260 million people. This means that many people cannot hear clearly, despite not being deaf.
Despite this, enough attention has not been paid to this scourge. The high incidence of hearing loss may be due to the prevalence of noise pollution in an age of popular culture, and also the refusal of affected people to seek help due to stigma attached to being deaf in some societies. A modern problem with this hearing loss stems from the emergence of deaf culture. Nevertheless, it has been established that hearing loss goes beyond being deaf.
In the modern age, hearing loss is treated by medicine, surgery or ear implants, even when it is not severe. However, many people are exploring natural treatment in treating hearing loss. Natural medicine proponents believe that in most cases, hearing loss is a result of our environmental, lifestyle, and dietary habits.
For instance, the proliferation of high sound music in night clubs and earphones has left many young people losing their hearing gradually from their youth. If we can change these habits for safer alternatives, hearing loss can be reduced, stopped, or reversed. According to the website; www.prevention .com, we can protect against and stop hearing loss if we protect our ears from these everyday noisemakers
- The hairdryer, which can reach 95 decibels(dB): changing to a more quiet alternative will reduce sound by 75%
- Blenders and Coffee dryers(88dB): you can muffle the sound
- Garbage disposal: using earplugs while using them will reduce exposure
- Lawn Mover(90dB): wear earplugs or foams if you have to use them
Other noisemakers include the vacuum cleaner and the Mp3 player.
Besides a change in habit, natural products may be used to replace chemical drugs in the treatment of hearing loss. Various remedies suggested by naturaltreatmentfor.com include;
- Ear irrigation: flushing the ear with liquid if something is stuck there or there is a build-up of wax
- Spice-ginger tea: ingredients include cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, cilantro and sage. Drink 3 cups a day for 3 weeks
- Bone marrow soup: made with sheep bones, cooked with water, black beans, kidney beans and adzuki beans. Vegetable includes carrot, celery, onion and seaweed.
Here is a helpful resource guide for families/households looking to improve or customize a home to be more accessible for deaf or hard of hearing inhabitants.