It’s estimated that up to 65 million Americans in the United States report some level of hearing loss. That equals almost 20% of the population!
Hearing loss can affect someone at any stage in their life. Infants may be born with hearing loss. For others, hearing loss happens gradually over time. This could be due to lifestyle or environmental factors, but there are other causes of hearing loss.
With so many people struggling with their hearing, it’s hardly surprising that people look for ways to restore their hearing. A common question for hearing healthcare professionals is how to cure hearing loss. Or how to quickly restore hearing to normal levels.
Sound familiar? If you’ve ever wondered if you can restore your hearing naturally, keep reading.
Can You Restore Hearing Naturally?
Unfortunately, the short answer to this question, in most cases, is “no.” In some cases, particularly in cases of conductive hearing loss, hearing may be restored. Learn more about the causes of conductive hearing loss by clicking here.
The reality is that for many, restoring full hearing is only possible in a limited number of cases.
Many people who experience hearing loss have lost their hearing over time. This could be due to the natural hearing process. This type of hearing loss is known as presbycusis.
Noise can also pose a threat to your hearing. Noise induced hearing loss is the second most common cause of hearing loss, second to presbycusis. Sudden exposure to dangerous noise, or prolonged exposure to dangerous noise volumes over time, can result in hearing loss.
Hearing loss from presbycusis or noise induced is the result of damage to delicate parts in our ears. To hear properly, our ears rely on a sophisticated (yet fragile) network of nerves, hair cells and blood vessels. If the hair cells involved in hearing are damaged, the hearing loss is not curable. In these cases, hearing aid devices can help to improve hearing ability.
Can Medicine Fix Hearing Loss?
Currently, there is no medication available that can fix a hearing loss. Researchers are continuing to look for a medication that could help to cure hearing loss. An ongoing clinical trial is researching an injectable drug, known as FX-322. The researchers are aiming to identify if this drug can help regrow new hair cells that were damaged. The trials are ongoing, so this is unlikely to hit your pharmacy shelves any time soon.
We’re still a long way off being able to walk up to your pharmacy and grab a pill to cure hearing loss. But the ongoing advances in the field of audiology are certainly exciting!
Natural Hearing Loss Remedies
Many people are interested in what is known as “alternative medicine.” This often involves things like essential oils or acupuncture. Unfortunately, neither have been shown in clinical trials to help restore hearing.
One area, however, that is showing some promise is CBD oil. Some smaller, preliminary studies have shown that it may help to reduce tinnitus symptoms. More research is needed, however.
Unfortunately, curing a hearing loss naturally is not currently possible. To restore hearing, intervention is generally required. This could be in the form of hearing aid devices. In some cases, surgical intervention can help restore hearing.
The best way to restore your hearing naturally, is to protect it from the get go! If you’d like some tips and advice on how to best look after your hearing, contact our team today. The hearing specialists at Anderson Audiology would be happy to advise you on daily hearing healthcare. To book an appointment, call us on 702-997-2964. Alternatively, click here to request an appointment online.