Ear, Nose & Throat
Hearing Loss
Progressive reduction in hearing ability from aging, noise exposure, nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, or drug damage — in many cases preventable and partially reversible through diet and targeted supplementation.
📝 Summary
In short: Progressive reduction in hearing ability from aging, noise exposure, nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, or drug damage — in many cases preventable and partially reversible through diet and targeted supplementation.
Common causes: Aging — most common cause; hardened eardrums accompany hardened arteries; Excessive noise: 100 dB for 30 minutes damages hearing; 75 dB is the safe long-exposure limit; Manganese or tin deficiency — reversible with dietary replacement.
First thing to try: Clean the ears: check for impacted earwax (see Earwax) as the first step
See a doctor if: If a child shows signs of hearing difficulty at any age — early detection is critical for language development.
🌿 Overview
The most common cause of hearing loss is aging (presbyacusis — high frequencies go first). Nations with the highest cholesterol rates have the highest rates of deafness; those with the lowest have almost none, even in the elderly. Catarrhal deafness occurs when an acute cold or flu is suppressed without running its proper course; a low-level infection continues in the middle ear and gradually ruins hearing. Research shows hearing loss can be reversed, even in the elderly, by eating a proper diet and reducing fat and cholesterol intake.
Common signs
- Sounds becoming harder to distinguish, especially high-pitched sounds
- Difficulty hearing people in conversation
- Feeling of fullness or ringing in the ears (tinnitus) may accompany
- Needing higher volume on TV and phone
- Presbyacusis: high frequencies are lost first — often noticed after age 60
- Occupational hazard: chainsaw, plane pilots, heavy equipment operators
🔎 Why it happens
Common causes and triggers — spotting yours is often the first step to relief.
- Aging — most common cause; hardened eardrums accompany hardened arteries
- Excessive noise: 100 dB for 30 minutes damages hearing; 75 dB is the safe long-exposure limit
- Manganese or tin deficiency — reversible with dietary replacement
- Milk allergies and poor ear circulation
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Catarrhal deafness: suppressed cold or flu leaves low-level infection in the middle ear
- Medications: aspirin, quinine, aureomycin, streptomycin, barbiturates, cocaine, opium
- Smoking and caffeine — cause blood vessel spasms that reduce oxygen to the ear
- Lead, mercury, cadmium exposure
- High cholesterol (plaque in ear blood vessels)
✅ What to do
Gentle, practical steps you can take at home — start at the top.
- Clean the ears: check for impacted earwax (see Earwax) as the first step
- Ensure manganese and tin in the diet: take Nova Scotia dulse or Norwegian kelp
- Also needed: manganese, potassium, and zinc
- For inflammationThe body's natural response to injury — like redness, swelling, or heat around a sore spot. More →-based hearing loss: mullein oil ear drops (2–4 drops warm) or garlic oil (2–4 drops warm)
- Drink fresh pineapple juice (contains anti-inflammatoryA food or habit that helps calm swelling and redness in the body. More → bromelain)
- Reduce dietary fat and cholesterol — research shows this directly improves hearing
- Quit smoking and caffeine completely — both restrict blood flow to the ear
- Daily outdoor exercise increases circulation throughout the head and ear
⭐ Community-ranked natural supports
Vote ▲ on everything that helped you, and ▼ on anything you tried that didn't — the ranking updates live. Tap 💬 to share what worked, so others can find it faster.
Citrus, berries, peppers, and greens supply vitamin C to support the immune system.91232
Crowd feedback, not medical advice — in this preview your vote is saved on your device. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit).
📊 Compare these remedies side by side
Our editor score weighs sources, safety, simplicity, cost, and lifestyle fit. Source endorsements tally how many books and studies reference each remedy. A higher number isn't a promise — it's just a starting point.
| Remedy | Type | Editor score | Source endorsements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garlic | Food | 85 | 244 |
| Lemon & Vitamin-C Foods | Food | 91 | 232 |
| Vitamin D & Sunshine | Practice | 85 | 206 |
| Magnesium-Rich Foods | Food | 86 | 132 |
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Favor these
- Fresh vegetable juices
- Whole nutritious foods with vitamin/mineral supplements
- Kelp or dulse (manganese and tin)
- Foods rich in vitamin A, C, E
- Fresh pineapple
Go easy on
- High-fat and high-cholesterol foods
- Processed, sugared, junk foods
- Dairy products (if milk allergy present)
- Caffeine, tobacco, alcohol
- Medications known to cause deafness (aspirin, quinine, streptomycin)
Nations with low cholesterol have almost no deafness, even in the elderly. Nations with high cholesterol have the highest deafness rates. Reducing fat and cholesterol has been shown in research to improve hearing.
⚖️ Good to know
- Noise-induced hearing loss is irreversible — always wear hearing protection above 90 dB
- When listening to music with earphones, no one else should be able to hear it — if they can, it's too loud
- Rock concerts and stereo headsets at high levels (100+ dB) can damage hearing in 30 minutes
- Never put sharp objects (pins, paper clips, swabs) in the ear — they impact wax or rupture the eardrum
- Do NOT rinse ears with water more than once every couple months — some earwax is needed for protection
🩺 When to see a doctor
- If a child shows signs of hearing difficulty at any age — early detection is critical for language development.
- For sudden hearing loss in adults, which may signal a medical emergency.
💚 Was this page helpful?
A quick tap helps us improve these guides. Saved on your device in this preview.