Chinese Medicine firmly associates most types of hearing loss with the kidneys and energy imbalances. The energy of the body may be low or high. Both of the can impact hearing for different reasons. Energy blockages in the body can result from very low activity or extremely high activity like a marathon run. People with low activity levels are often ill or elderly. Improving the physical activity levels of these people with walking, yoga, Tai Chi. Qi Gong, marshall arts, ballet, and gardening can improve or balance their energy.

Kidney yang or kidney yin deficiency may be the cause for the hearing loss and tinnitus. The hearing loss may be a symptom of a larger problem which is a sub-optimal kidney. As people age, there is frequently a reduction in kidney function due to improper nutrition, toxins for pesticides or heavy metals, exposure to loud noise levels, hormone imbalances, and more. The newer problems that can cause or accelerate auditory issues include very high levels of radiation from some cell phones and wireless systems for computers that are improperly set and managed. These problems can be reduced with radiation shields for the cell phone, computer, and other high radiation level household and office items. The radiation shields can be purchased at affordable prices. It is very important for those with hearing loss and tinnitus to reduce their exposure to excess electromagnetic radiation levels and noise. The kidney imbalances can be healed or improved for most people with medical qi gong and other forms of Chinese medicine.

The Chinese branch of medicine that uses food to heal the body is called Food Therapy. It is taught in Chinese medical school, along with Asian bodywork, Medical Qi Gong, Tuina, herbal formulas, pharmaceutical drugs, acupuncture, and western medicine. Food Therapy is an important tool in healing the body. The diet should be examined to reduce and remove toxins like heavy metals, cigarettes, alcohol with sulfites, food additive, and neurotoxins like aspartame. MSG may cause allergies for many people. Any allergic reaction will increase the inflammation levels of the body and decrease immune function. This can lead to further hearing losses or an increase in tinnitus, vertigo, and dementia.

A dietary change to slightly reduce meat levels can include switching to grass feed meats like lamb, bison, and cows. There is a very large effort of some local farms to sell this type of meat directly to the public. This type of farm sells and delivers monthly packages of meat to customers. You may also be able to find these farms at Local Farmer's Markets on Saturdays. It is also a good idea to increase the fish and seafood in your diet. A balanced diet will have sufficient protein levels to support the body's healing. Rice, whey, and hemp protein can be used to make a breakfast drink. Nori seaweed is a wonderful food in a salad to eat with your salmon that provides many nutrients needed for good hearing and vision. It is so important to eat cold water fish several times per week and to eat raw nuts like walnuts and almonds. Organic walnut. almond, and olive oils are great for cooking. These foods provide the needed essential fatty acids to increase brain function, reduce inflammations levels, help balance, and support energy production.

© Dr R Stone, MD-India