If you cut your arm, it heals. If you stub your toe, it may feel bruised and inflamed but the inflammation will subside, and you’ll feel better in a little while. Even if you break a bone, when properly set, it will mend.
But what if you lose your hearing? Does the inner ear heal itself? Can you get your hearing back? Can homeopathic treatments facilitate that healing?
What is homeopathic medicine philosophy?
Homeopathy is thought of as natural medicine. The philosophy suggests that you’re treating the person and not just the illness. The basic premise is that the human body should heal itself. Those who practice it believe they are encouraging a natural healing process that allows the body to heal quicker than otherwise possible.
What is homeopathic medicine made of?
The prefix “Homeo” means “like” and the root of the word “pathy” means “disease.” So the word homeopathy means “like a disease.” This probably sounds strange, after all, why would a cure be called “like a disease?”
This is because many homeopathic remedies use substances that are harmful in large amounts like arsenic, nightshade, and even poison ivy. The thought is that by administering these types of substances, you encourage a natural healing process.
While some dismiss homeopathy, others believe in its value. It’s not something that you can easily convince people of one way or the other. What we will address is why there are no homeopathic remedies for hearing loss.
Unlike other parts of the body where homeopathy may be harmless at best, with hearing, you can actually do significant, lasting damage to your ears. Here’s why.
How hearing works
The inner ear is shaped like a snail shell, called the cochlea. This structure contains little hair-like structures. These hair cells vibrate rhythmically with the sound waves that are produced when something makes a sound. The manner in which these hair cells move sends complex signals to the brain. The brain can interpret these signals to distinguish between a cat’s meow and a car horn. It can decipher whether someone said the letter “T” or the letter “D.”
When a healthy child is born, they have thousands of these little hairs. But as you age, your ears are exposed to loud noises, infections, and other hazards that literally shake these little hair cells to pieces. They bend over. They break. They die. They can no longer effectively receive sound.
The high-frequency hairs that can pick up sounds like a violin solo, birds chirping or the playing of children are the most sensitive. So if damage occurs, these are the first to go.
Once these hairs are damaged, they don’t grow back or heal themselves — ever. That’s why protecting your hearing is so important.
Hearing & homeopathy
Homeopathic medicines are believed to work by stimulating the body’s natural healing processes. In the case of human hearing, there is no natural healing process in place. These hairs don’t grow back. And hearing loss will not heal itself.
If you’re experiencing early stage hearing loss, the best thing you can do is see a hearing specialist. If you delay getting medical advice and treatment while you “try” homeopathic medicine, you could be doing more lasting damage to your hearing. Talk with your audiologist about proven prevention and treatment options.