| Some people are born totally or partially deaf; others | | | | Never attempt to relieve deafness yourself. Poking |
| become deaf gradually, usually after the age of | | | | about in the ear to remove wax or foreign objects |
| about 50. Both conditions fall into one of two main | | | | can lead to perforated eardrums and possibly |
| categories: Conductive deafness, which is mostly | | | | permanent deafness. |
| curable, and nerve deafness, which is usually not | | | | What the Natural Doctors Recommend |
| curable. | | | | Practitioners believe that diet can affect the |
| Conductive deafness is due to something hindering | | | | functioning of the ears, and may recommend a diet |
| the transmission of sound waves to the cochlea, the | | | | rich in vitamins A and B1. Vitamin A comes in dairy |
| sound sensitive organ of inner ear. It can have a | | | | foods such as cheese and eggs, as well as liver and |
| number of causes including infections, earwax, sudden | | | | carrots. Vitamin B1 is found in brewer's yeast, whole |
| loud noises, foreign objects such as a bead in a child's | | | | meal bread, potatoes and peanuts, and is said to help |
| ear, and otosclerosis (a fusion of the small bones in | | | | repair damaged cell tissue in the ear and to |
| the middle ear, which mainly affects women aged | | | | strengthen the auditory nerve. |
| between 20 and 40). | | | | You can also soften earwax with a few drops of |
| Nerve deafness occurs when the auditory nerve | | | | almond or olive oil and lemon juice, heated in a cupful |
| which carries stimuli from the ear to the brain is | | | | of warm water to body temperature. Apply with a |
| damaged. This is usually caused by viral infections | | | | small dropper two or three times a day, taking care |
| such as measles, mumps and German measles. | | | | not to poke the ear with a cotton bud, as this can |
| German measles can damage the hearing of babies | | | | make wax harder to remove and may cause |
| whose mothers contracted the infection during the | | | | damage. |
| first three months of pregnancy. | | | | |