Can Exercise Help with Hearing Loss?

Since we rely on our hearing to communicate with others, interact with our environment and appreciate the world around us, loss of this ability has a significant impact on our mental and emotional health, and it changes how we interact on a daily basis.

With approximately 48 million of reported cases of some level of hearing loss in America, and considering how hearing loss can affect not just the individuals experiencing it but also their families, it’s crucial to stay informed and learn how to prevent, slow down, and treat this condition.

At Resonance Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, as audiologists and hearing care enthusiasts, we are dedicated to keeping you informed about different ways to reduce the loss of hearing, and finding solutions to improve the quality of life for those who are experiencing it.

We are all familiar with the many benefits of regular exercise – from weight loss and management, improved bone density and cardiovascular fitness to supporting our immune system, to reducing our chances of developing diabetes or heart problems.

Good news is that recent research indicates exercise may also help preserve our hearing, or reduce hearing loss related to aging.

A recent study by the University of Florida, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, demonstrates that regular exercise can at minimum significantly slow, and even prevent, age related hearing loss.

A comprehensive exercise program of high-intensity interval training, stretching, core work and daily non-exercise movement can reduce potential for developing hearing loss as we age.

Research indicates that 70 percent of hearing loss in people over 70 is related to the loss of auditory structures; knowing that our auditory system never stops working, it needs a high level of energy, which in turn requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients – and exercise may help to reduce damage to the auditory structures.

Researchers have successfully demonstrated that sedentary mice lost important auditory structures, about 20 percent hearing loss on average, while mice who exercised experienced a 5 percent hearing loss in their lifetime, as exercise appeared to reduce the effect of age-related inflammation and hearing loss.

Another great news is that even if someone already has some minor hearing loss, he or she can still benefit from exercises in multiple ways, and incorporating techniques such as cardiovascular exercise for the heart, yoga for the body, and meditation for the mind.

Contact our experienced audiologist today at our office in New Holland, PA and learn more about hearing loss, hearing tests, and superior hearing aid solutions for you or your loved one: http://resonanceaudiology.com/