Do you regularly ask people to repeat themselves before you can understand them? Do your family complain about the volume at which you have the television? Are you continually missing things like knocks on the door or ringing telephones? If you answered yes to any of the above, then there’s a significant chance you’re experiencing some degree of hearing loss. While many of us assume this is something we won’t face until we’re older, hearing loss can actually develop at any time. Around one-third of 65-75 year old adults do experience this issue, but symptoms like those touched on above can present themselves at any age. And, when they do, they can quickly start to impact quality of life. Even if you’re able to overlook signs, your work and social life could soon become significantly strained if you ignore the problem. Not to mention that a failure to act can often lead to a worsening of this condition. Obviously, traditional hearing loss treatments include visits to an audiologist and even surgery or hearing aids to help you move forward. Visiting a professional is certainly best to get to the bottom of your suddenly noticeable hearing loss. But, is it at all possible to regain your hearing without going down such extreme treatment routes?

What hearing loss do you have?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, which is why you first need to understand the hearing loss that you’re dealing with. While many people don’t realize this, there are three main types of hearing loss, and each requires significantly different treatment routes. The three main types of hearing loss likely to be relevant to your problem are:

  • Sensorineural
  • Conductive
  • Mixed

Sensorineural treatment

Sensorineural is, by far, the most common type of hearing loss, and it involves damage to the auditory nerve or the cilia. Reasons for this issue include:

  • Aging (presbycusis)
  • Trauma
  • Infection
  • Disease
  • Extended exposure to loud noise
  • Hereditary problems

Without exception, this is a permanent and irreversible strain of hearing loss. While an audiologist can help to reduce ongoing damage by addressing root causes, you will never be able to regain the hearing you lost. As such, most patients in this position will opt for hearing aids as their most viable treatment option.

Conductive treatment

By comparison, conductive hearing loss is caused by obstruction or damage to the ear, which inhibits sound conduction. The inner ear remains undamaged in this form of hearing loss, and reasons for occurrence include:

  • Fluid in the ear
  • Excessive earwax
  • A hole in the eardrum
  • An object in the outer ear
  • Temporary infection

While visiting an audiologist is still vital for diagnosis and some treatments, this form of hearing loss is very much reversible, sometimes with natural remedies. While antibiotics and the like may be necessary in the case of infections, then, an audiologist would be able to advise you on natural treatment options during an appointment.

Mixed treatment

As you can guess, mixed loss is a mixture of both issues. In this instance, it may be that conductive symptoms of excessive wax worsen sensorineural hearing loss. In cases like these, a mix of both natural and ongoing treatments is usually recommended.

What natural treatments are available?

As mentioned, a diagnosis is vital to ensure that you’re able to address your hearing loss in the best possible way for ongoing health. If an audiologist has recommended natural treatment, though, you may be wondering what exactly these will entail. That’s why we’re going to consider some of the most common options here.

  • Earwax removal
  • Lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking
  • Hearing exercises like listening to audiobooks
  • The right foods, such as meals containing plenty of folic acid and zinc. Some even suggest green tea.

How to ensure natural treatments work

As with any natural treatments, results for methods like these aren’t always surefire things. With green tea, for instance, there are no verifiable or FDA approved benefits. As such, the best way to naturally regain your hearing is definitely to contact professionals like those at Arkansas Professional Hearing Care. They’ll be able to diagnose both your hearing type and your best plan of action moving forward. They’ll also be able to offer proven natural remedies like earwax removal in a safe and professional setting. If you’re dealing with hearing loss and want to learn more about your treatment options, don’t hesitate to contact the team at Arkansas Professional Hearing Care by calling (501) 588-0177. We’re ready to help you towards a better hearing future today.