Condition Spotlight

A slight loss in the ability to hear is not unusual with advancing age, but recently more young people are suffering from hearing loss equivalent to someone 40 years their senior.

There are a wide variety of ear-related disorders, ranging from common ear pain to severe conditions such as chronic otitis media (ear infection), Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

The primary concern regarding ear health is how it impacts our ability to hear. Disorders of the auditory system affect over 30 million Americans. Practitioners of alternative medicine believe that a large percentage of these disorders involve food and environmental allergies, as well as the overuse of antibiotics. Dietary changes, nutritional supplements, herbal therapy, and homeopathic remedies are often highly effective treatments, helping to eliminate the need for antibiotics or surgery.

The auditory system is responsible for the processing of sound and the regulation of balance and is one of the body’s most delicate and sensitive systems. When functioning properly, it enables a person to hear the faintest cry or maintain equilibrium in the most extreme circumstances. But the very complexity that allows for such precision also makes the ear susceptible to a wide range of ailments.

Ear disorders can affect people at any age and symptoms may include ear pain and stuffiness, inflammation, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), problems with balance, dizziness, vertigo, nerve damage, and hearing loss.