The first reaction to hearing loss is panic. Terri still remembers the day six years ago when she woke up suddenly in the night with a loud ringing in her ears. She was sleeping with her ear plugs. Upon hearing the loud ringing she quickly removed her ear plug as she realized that her right ear felt full and plugged up. Sound was muffled. She couldn’t make out words, just noise. The doctor told her that she had sudden deafness but she had full chances of recovery if the damage was caught early. Unfortunately, even after many tests followed by doses of steroids, Terri couldn’t get her hearing back in her right ear.
Age related hearing loss, diabetes, kidney diseases, tumor in the ear, otosclerosis (hardening of tissues in the inner ear), rheumatoid arthritis, ear injury, Meniere’s disease – all of these could cause result in permanent hearing loss. Natural remedies don’t help in such cases. Treatment is based on using assisted devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, sign language, etc.
Natural remedies, however, can resolve temporary hearing loss caused by ear wax, ear infection, pressure changes in the airline passengers or altitude changes, blows and trauma to the ear. These remedies work to –
- Improve the circulatory diseases that produce hearing loss
- Treat ear infections
- Remove ear wax that prevents the passage of sound waves
1. Ginkgo biloba extract
Poor circulation in the brain can cause dizziness, memory problems, poor concentration, hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and a host of other conditions. Studies have shown that Ginkgo extract can improve circulation in the brain and help prevent blood vessel breakage.
A recent study published in the journal Neural Plasticity indicated the ginkgo biloba extract could be helpful in controlling noise-induced hearing loss and associated tinnitus.
Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug that causes hearing loss by destroying hair cells in the ear that help with transmission of sound waves. A Korean study found that Ginkgo extract significantly prevented hair cell damage induced by the drug.
Dosage: 60 to 240 mg daily.
2. Marjoram
Not to be confused with oregano, the herb marjoram has sweet pine and citrus flavors. Marjoram is used as culinary flavors but it is also known for its blood pressure lowering and anti-arteriosclerotic properties. So, if your hearing loss is due to poor circulation in the ear, marjoram might be helpful. It helps with earaches as well.
Dosage:
- Pour a cup of boiling water over 1 tsp of dry marjoram, let it stand for 5 minutes. Strain and drink it. Take 2 cups a day. Do not use it for more than 10 days. Skip for a week and then you can resume taking it.
- Squeeze the juice of tender plant. Carefully put a few drops into the ear you have a problem.
3. Apple cider
Apple cider vinegar is rich in magnesium, potassium, zinc and manganese. Deficiency in any one of these minerals can cause problems with hearing.
Researchers at Rabin Medical Centre, Israel, found that magnesium treatment reduces the incidence of both temporary and permanent noise-induced hearing loss. They suggested that ‘Magnesium is a relatively safe and convenient adjunct to steroid treatment for enhancing the improvement in hearing, especially in the low-tone range, in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss’.
Further, cider has great antioxidant effects that prevents the action of sclerosis-causing free radicals.
Dosage: 1 tsp cider vinegar + 1 tsp honey in a cup of water. Take 3 cups a day during 3 main meals. Use less if you notice heartburn.
4. Onion
Hough Ear Institute researchers found that antioxidant treatment could reduce cochlear damage and hearing loss adminstered shortly after blast exposure. ‘Administration of a combination of antioxidants 2,4-disulfonyl α-phenyl tertiary butyl nitrone (HPN-07) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) beginning 1 hour after blast exposure could reduce both temporary and permanent hearing loss,’ they said. The antioxidants worked by significantly reducing hair cell loss in the ear because of the blast.
Incidentally, these antioxidants can be derived from onions. This means, onion can be used as natural remedy for ear problems due to trauma and blasts, and air pressure changes.
Onion pack can also be a home remedy for middle ear infections in children. Scientists, however, feel that there is not sufficient evidence to prove this, but some parents feel this treatment helps.
Dosage:
- Macerate 300g of onion in one litre of water for 12 hours. Take 3 glasses per day.
- Place onion packs in the affected ear for treating middle ear infection (otitis) in children.
5. Table salt
Another home remedy for earache and ear infection is using salt poultice.
- Heat a cup of salt (microwave or heat in a pan for 3-4 minutes).
- Spread the hot salt on to a cloth; tie up the edges of the cloth to make a round leak proof poultice.
- Place it on the affected ear for 5 to 10 minutes. The heat from the poultice will help draw out the fluid from the ear and relieve the pain.
- Repeat the process as many times as needed during the day.
6. Hearing loss can also be caused by excess earwax blocking your ear canal.
This is what you do to remove the excess earwax –
- With the help of an eye-dropper, apply a few drops of baby oil or glycerine in your ear canal twice a day for 4 to 5 days.
- Gently squirt lukewarm water into the ear. Tilt your head and pull your outer ear up and then back to straighten your ear canal.
- Tip your head to the side and let the water drain out.
- Repeat a few more times.
- Gently dry your ear with a towel.
- Don’t be tempted to scrap off earwax with hairpin, match sticks, and similar things. They might harm your inner ear. Do not get ears cleaned by roadside quacks.
If your ear problem doesn’t go away with these remedies in a few days, consult your doctor. In the steadily increasing level of noise exposure of modern day living.
0 comments:
Post a Comment