5 Surprising Causes of Hearing Loss

The most common causes of hearing loss are brain or damage related. There are many obvious activities that can damage your ears, such as loud music. But here, we will cover some of the most surprising causes of hearing loss and what you can do about them.

Hearing loss can occur from a sensory impairment that causes the brain to lose certain signals. While this can be related to specific brain conditions, you might be surprised to learn that your lifestyle plays a significant role in caring for your ears and hearing health.

Stress and Anxiety Can Cause Hearing Loss

Overwork and money worries are among the most common causes of stress and anxiety. Stress leads to severe mental issues like depression. But it can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus. This happens because blood pressure increases when you are stressed.

And a higher blood pressure causes damage to the blood vessels inside your ears, leading to temporary or permanent hearing loss. So, it’s helpful to reduce stress by addressing any issues, speaking to a professional counselor or making positive changes to avoid stress.

Reactions to Prescription Medication

Many medications work on the body in harmful or unintended ways as side effects. Azazan’s treatment for Crohn’s disease is a perfect example, as it causes your face to swell and distort. But some prescription drugs can also severely impact your hearing, causing temporary or permanent damage. For example, some cancer chemotherapy are known to cause damage to the inner ear cells. While taking some medications might be unavoidable, you can always discuss alternatives with your doctor or specialist.

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

The right amount of vitamins and minerals are essential for your body and brain to work and function correctly. A deficiency in any of them can cause severe problems. For instance, iron is chief among minerals because it does so much for the body. One of the key roles iron plays is maintaining healthy inner ear cells. A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that people with inadequate iron levels are more likely to experience problems with their hearing. Other vitamins and minerals for hearing health include B12, C, and E, folate and beta carotene.

A Poor Diet with Lack of Exercise

You get most of your daily recommended vitamins and minerals from your food. So, it makes sense that a poor diet can contribute to hearing loss. And a lack of exercise can make hearing loss worse. Together, this is a severely detrimental problem, but you can try the following:

• Reduce sugar intake by eating fresh fruit and vegetables rather than processed food.
• Go on a fat-free diet to minimize excess fat on your plate and snacks.
• Walk for at least thirty minutes per day outside for exercise and vitamin D.
• Consult your doctor or nutritionist for advice on overall health and well-being.
• Consider vitamin and mineral supplements if you are deficient or need some help.

Changing your diet and exercising will almost immediately affect your general health and promote good ear and hearing health. However, too much exercise can also lead to hearing problems such as inner ear cell damage and tinnitus because of increased blood pressure.

Hearing Loss from Cigarettes and Alcohol

You are aware that drinking and smoking are horrendously bad for your health. Both cause severe issues like organ failure and heart problems and are linked to an increased risk of cancer. But most people aren’t aware that they can also lead to hearing problems.

Smoking can damage the inner ear cell linings and nicotine can block sound signals from getting to your brain. At the same time, alcohol can prevent your brain from interpreting audio signals correctly, especially lower frequencies. So, it’s helpful to limit or cease both of these for hearing health.

A Hearing Instrument Specialist Can Help

Your lifestyle can negatively impact your hearing. For example, from trouble processing low frequencies to temporary or permanent hearing loss, you are at greater risk from smoking and drinking. Additionally, no exercise and a poor diet can lead to vitamin deficiencies that harm your hearing, as well as an increase in stress which makes it worse. If you believe you are experiencing hearing loss from any of these, please give us a call at Bradenton (941) 357-2054 or Sun City (813) 990-0335 to see what Armand’s Hearing Center can do for you.