If you are having trouble hearing, you may wonder, “Can I Restore Hearing Loss Naturally?”
Hearing loss is a condition that most people will experience with age (if not due to an acute hearing loss event). As people grow older, they experience changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve that make hearing more difficult.
People may also experience hearing loss even during our younger years due to multiple reasons, which include earwax buildup.
This article will explore whether hearing loss is a condition that we can reverse or restore. It’s a complex issue, so let’s get started.
Can I Restore Hearing Loss Naturally?
The answer is not likely; there is a slim chance you will be able to restore hearing loss naturally. This depends on various factors. But, there are other treatment options out there.
To determine if you can restore hearing loss, you need to know the type of hearing loss you have experienced, as well as the cause.
The three types of hearing loss are:
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Conductive hearing loss
- Mixed hearing loss
Sensorineural Hearing Loss and How to Treat It
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most frequent type of hearing loss among the three types of hearing loss. Most of the time, it is caused by damage to your auditory nerve, also known as the cilia.
This sort of hearing loss can be reversed with the proper treatment and consulting with an audiologist or ENT professional.
Natural treatment for sensorineural hearing loss, however, is not possible; once the cilia have been injured, there is no way to repair them.
What Causes Sensorineural Hearing Loss?
In most cases, this type of hearing loss is triggered by the aging process. As people grow older, their hearing begins to deteriorate at the same rate as the rest of their health.
However, sensorineural hearing loss can be successfully treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants, depending on the severity of the damage.
Conductive Hearing Loss and its Causes
On the other hand, conduction-related hearing loss is less common than sensorineural hearing loss. This condition is caused by damage that occurs to either the outer or middle ear.
Although there is no damage to the inner ear or cilia, injury to the outer ear prevents sound transmission to the inner ear and vice versa.
People who suffer from conductive hearing loss may be able to regain part, or perhaps all, of their hearing, depending on the nature and extent of the impairment. Not everyone, however, will be able to reverse or restore their hearing loss.
The method used to restore hearing in the case of conductive hearing loss is dependent on the cause.
Treatment Options for Conductive Hearing Loss
Often, by treating the underlying issues that are producing obstructions, hearing can be completely recovered. Wax and foreign items can be removed and, in some cases, this can be done noninvasively. Antibiotics are effective in the treatment of bacterial illnesses. Growths can be surgically removed if they are large enough.
Your doctor may not be able to medically restore your hearing if you suffer conductive hearing loss caused by abnormalities such as the following:
- Stenosis of the ear canal
- Exostoses
- Otosclerosis
- Ossicular chain discontinuity
In the case of conductive hearing loss caused by the abnormalities indicated above, implanted hearing implants may be useful.
Treatment Options for Mixed Hearing Loss
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of a little bit of both types of hearing loss that we mentioned above.
The precise sensorineural and conductive hearing loss conditions that you are dealing with must be taken into consideration when creating treatment plans for mixed hearing loss.
Your doctor may prescribe that you treat either the sensorineural or the conductive hearing loss or both at the same time.
Whatever your case may be, we strongly recommend that you see an audiologist or ENT to discuss treatment options.
Although it is unlikely you will be able to restore your hearing loss naturally, there are ways you can restore it with treatment and hearing technology.