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Foods to Improve Hearing and Prevent Hearing Loss.
Author.
Prof. Hayk S. Arakelyan. Full Professor in Medicine,
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Ph.D , Grand Ph.D .
Senior Expert of Interactive Clinical Pharmacology , Drug Safety,
Treatment Tactics, General Medicine and Clinical Research.
“The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest
until it has gained a hearing”.
“Sigmund Freud”
Indroduction.
The age-related hearing loss that we experience as we grow can be reversible.
Sudden loss of hearing, as well as tinnitus can also be significantly improved.
Hearing L oss.
Hearing loss that occurs gradually as you age (presbycusis) is common. About
one-third of people. Between the ages of 65 and 75 have some degree of hearing
loss. For those older than 75, that number is approximately 1 in 2.
Hearing loss is defined as one of three types:
Conductive (involves outer or middle ear).
Sensorineural (involves inner ear).
Mixed (combination of the two).
Aging and chronic exposure to loud noises both contribute to hearing loss. Other
factors, such as excessive earwax, can temporarily reduce how well your ears
conduct sounds.
Causes of Hearing Loss.
Causes of hearing loss include:
Damage to the inner ear. Aging and exposure to loud noise may cause wear and
tear on the hairs or nerve cells in the cochlea that send sound signals to the brain.
When these hairs or nerve cells are damaged or missing, electrical signals aren't
transmitted as efficiently, and hearing loss occurs.
Higher pitched tones may become muffled to you. It may become difficult for
you to pick out words against background noise.
Gradual buildup of earwax. Earwax can block the ear canal and prevent
conduction of sound waves. Earwax removal can help restore your hearing.
Ear infection and abnormal bone growths or tumors. In the outer or middle
ear, any of these can cause hearing loss.
Ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation). Loud blasts of noise,
sudden changes in pressure, poking your eardrum with an object and infection
can cause your eardrum to rupture and affect your hearing.
Risk factors of Hearing Loss.
Factors that may damage or lead to loss of the hairs and nerve cells in your inner
ear include:
Aging. Degeneration of inner ear structures occurs over time.
Loud noise. Exposure to loud sounds can damage the cells of your inner ear.
Damage can occur with long-term exposure to loud noises, or from a short blast
of noise, such as from a gunshot.
Heredity. Your genetic makeup may make you more susceptible to ear damage
from sound or deterioration from aging.
Occupational noises. Jobs where loud noise is a regular part of the working
environment, such as farming, construction or factory work, can lead to damage
inside your ear.
Recreational noises. Exposure to explosive noises, such as from firearms and
jet engines, can cause immediate, permanent hearing loss. Other recreational
activities with dangerously high noise levels include snowmobiling,
motorcycling, carpentry or listening to loud music.
Some medications. Drugs such as the antibiotic gentamicin, sildenafil
(Viagra) and certain chemotherapy drugs, can damage the inner ear.
Temporary effects on your hearing — ringing in the ear (tinnitus) or hearing loss
— can occur if you take very high doses of aspirin, other pain relievers,
antimalarial drugs or loop diuretics.
Some illnesses. Diseases or illnesses that result in high fever, such as meningitis,
may damage the cochlea.
Foods to Improve Hearing.
If you want to help keep your body and your ears healthy, eat more of the foods
that improve hearing.
Magnesium.
Magnesium can help maintain nerve function and help protect the hair cells in the
inner ear when exposed to loud noises. Magnesium can also help improve blood
flow, while a lack of it can cause oxygen deprivation. So to help keep your ears
healthy, and to help guard against hearing loss (especially noise-induced), eat more
of these magnesium-rich foods:
Dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, nuts (particularly Brazil nuts, cashews,
and almonds), whole grains, avocados, salmon, legumes, kale, spinach, and
bananas.
Potassium.
It is believed that a drop in the levels of fluid in the inner ear can contribute to
hearing loss, but getting enough potassium can help regulate the fluid in the body.
As you age, your potassium levels are more likely to drop, so make sure you get
enough potassium-rich foods in your diet:
Cucumbers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, potatoes, eggs, bananas, apricots,
cantaloupe, oranges, peas, avocados, spinach, coconut, watermelon, and edamame.
Folate.
Your circulation plays a crucial role in your ears’ health, and folate can help
increase circulation in the body. Proper circulation helps keep the inner ear’s hair
cells healthy, so it’s understandable that getting enough folate in your diet can help
prevent hearing loss. Up your folate intake by eating these folate-rich foods:
Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, kidney beans, chickpeas, liver,
fortified breakfast cereals, whole grains, lemons, melons, bananas, eggs, peanuts,
and sunflower seeds.
Zinc.
Believed to help with cell growth, zinc can also help boost the immune system,
helping to ward off ear infections. Eating enough zinc has also been linked to a
lowered chance of developing tinnitus and presbycusis. To help boost your immune
system and your ability to heal, add more of these zinc-rich foods into your diet:
Dark chocolate, oatmeal, yogurt, beans, lentils, peanuts, cashews, oysters, lobster,
crab, pork, beef, dark meat chicken, mushrooms, kale, spinach, garlic, and
pumpkin seeds.
Omega-3s.
Omega-3s are often overlooked, but getting enough fatty acids in your diet can
help keep your ears functioning properly as you age. Omega-3 fatty acids can help
delay or prevent age-related hearing loss, so make sure you add more of the
following foods to your plate:
Walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, fortified eggs, fortified milk, hemp seeds, purslane,
Brussels sprouts, spinach, sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring, oysters, and salmon.
If you have any questions concerning “Foods to Improve Hearing and
Prevent Hearing Loss”, interactive clinical pharmacology , or any other
questions, please inform me .
Prof. Hayk S. Arakelyan