Sound travels through three different sections of the ear.  The outer ear passes incoming sound waves to the eardrum located in the middle ear.  The middle ear transfers these sounds through three tiny bones that vibrate a fluid in the cochlea, which is located in the inner ear.  The cochlea has tiny hairs protruding from its walls that relay the sound vibrations as electrical impulses to the brain.  The brain then interprets these impulses as sound.

The quality of hearing is dependent upon the condition of the eighth cranial nerve, located in the inner ear, where sound is transferred to the brain.  Conductive deafness and perceptive (or nerve) deafness are two common types of hearing damage.

Conductive deafness is caused by an obstruction that prevents the transmission of sounds to the inner ear.  Sound may still be sent but distinguishing them is difficult.  Otosclerosis, wax accumulation (cerumen), boils on the ear canal, and ear drum damage are causes of this type of deafness.

Perceptive deafness occurs in the inner ear and the neural pathways to the brain.  Examples of this type of deafness are gradual hearing loss due to aging (presbycusis), congenital problems, Meniere’s syndrome, and damage from drugs, excessive noise, or infectious diseases such as mastoiditis.  A deficiency of the B vitamins in the diet may be a very important factor in perceptive deafness.

In otosclerosis, the tiny bones in the middle ear become hard and overgrown, interfering with sound transmission.  Once the disease occurs, surgery appears to be the only alternative.  However, vitamin A (by injection) has been shown to improve this condition in humans; and in animals, a lack of the vitamin to cause it.

Earwax, or cerumen, is a naturally occurring substance, a secretion forming from sebaceous and sweat glands that are located in the outer section of the ear canal.  The wax is made up of water, fats, and lecithin, and functions as a lubricant and trap of such particles as bacteria and dust.  Its importance should not be underestimated; for example, dust on the eardrum would distort sound, and without lubrication, infections could become serious and even life-threatening.  Cerumen is excreted by the motions of the jaws while eating and talking; it eventually falls out during sleep.  Symptoms of impacted cerumen include tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), earache, reflex cough, dizziness, an echo sensation, and disturbances in behavior seen especially in mental patients.  If the wax if left too long in the ear, it can become a medium for bacterial and fungal growth.  Two major causes of impacted earwax are refined foods, which need little chewing action, and air pollution.  Excessive pollutants build up on the wax, increasing the susceptibility to infection and causing difficult expulsion.

Presbycusis is associated with the aging process.  It is gradual and often not noticed for years.  The higher tones are lost first; eventually understanding conversation becomes difficult.  Because this disease is one of the results of aging, nutrients involved in slowing the aging process, vitamins B and C for example, are important in its prevention.  At a hearing clinic in Alabama, hard-of-hearing patients improved markedly when give yeast and liver (sources of the B complex), vitamin C and glutamic acid.

Exposure to 85 decibels or more for prolonged times can result in ear damage.  Excessive noise contracts the tiny blood vessels in the ear, and repeated exposure progressively increases the time required for them to return to normal, eventually resulting in injury, possibly permanent.  Normal conversation registers at 60 decibels, a loud motorcycle at 110, and rock music amplified to its peak registers at 120 decibels.  Noise level is too loud if a person needs to shout to be hear by someone standing a few feet away.

Excessive fat in the diet appears to collect in the blood vessels of the ear, causing obstruction.  Controlled experiments have been conducted between persons who consumed a high-fat diet and others on a low-fat diet.  The patients on the low-fat diet experienced better hearing.  In other studies, many patients with hearing loss and ear problem symptoms had elevated cholesterol levels, abnormal glucose tolerance (diabetes), and were overweight.  Their hearing was significantly improved by reducing dietary fats and refined foods and losing weight.

Information obtained from Nutrition Alamanac, Third Edition

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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 at 7:15 am and is filed under CHILDRENS HEALTH, Mens Health, Womens Health, health, minerals, nutrition, vitamins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.