Australian Natural Health Magazine

How to reduce your risk of hearing loss.

One in six Australians have hearing loss. This can range from small discrete losses in certain pitches to full deafness. There are many lifestyle factors that can put you at risk of hearing loss. Thankfully, there are also a number of changes you can make to reduce this risk.

Zinc

Zinc is essential for maintaining an effective immune system. Research suggests low levels of Zinc can make you more susceptible to sickness, including the common cold. This link is important given ear infections often accompany the common cold for children, and in some cases for adults. It is estimated that more than 1 in every 3 males and 1 in 10 females in Australia have insufficient zinc intake. Red meats, baked beans, seafood and pumpkin seeds are greater sources of zinc.

Folic Acid

Folic acid supplementation is often encouraged during pregnancy due to its role in protecting against neural tube defects in foetuses. Surprisingly, sufficient dietary intake of folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid) is also associated with a reduced risk of age-related hearing loss. It is thought that this reduction is related to the role of folate in metabolising homocysteine, an amino acid linked to a number of hearing loss-biomarkers, such as reduced blood flow to inner ear structures and over-activity of nerve cell receptors. Your body can’t store folate so daily intake is essential. Get your daily quota from dark leafy greens, such as asparagus, broccoli and avocado.

Turn down the music

Excessive noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Damage can occur gradually over years or abruptly with exposure to an extremely loud noise. Reducing the volume of noise entering your ears is one way to reduce your chance of developing hearing loss. The volume on some portable music players can reach more than 130 decibels. Sound levels over 90 decibels can cause hearing loss in most individuals. It’s recommended that portable music devices are set at no more than 60% of the maximum volume to avoid any long-term damage. 

Protect your hearing

Sometimes you can’t avoid environments with loud noise. What you can do is protect your hearing. If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you’ve probably experienced leaving the venue with your ears ringing; this means you have suffered permanent and irreversible hearing damage. Hearing protection devices, such as earplugs, can reduce the volume of noise entering your ears by up to 30 decibels. At a rock concert this could be the difference between tolerable and harm-inducing noise. 

Seek help

Hearing loss is not uncommon and can impact your quality of life. If you’re currently experiencing hearing loss that is impacting your work, relationships or day-to-day life, hearing aids may be an effective treatment option. Modern hearing aids available from Hearing Choices are absolutely tiny and discreet, and are able to function automatically with minimal hassle.