Hearing loss has been around for a long time. And humans have been finding ways to cure it for just as long.
Hearing aids and cochlear implants are usually the most common (and scientifically proven) approaches for treating hearing loss. Nevertheless, people have sought to explore alternate approaches to “cure” their hearing loss. There have been many hearing treatment experiments conducted in the past, with very mixed success. Let’s go on a journey through history and explore some of them here.
Solutions of the 19th Century
The historical record indicates several strange attempts in the 19th Century to treat hearing loss.
One of the most popular therapies has tried to stimulate the ear’s nerves to respond to sound. Some of these simulators were devices inserted into the ear canal, vibrating to wake up damaged nerves.
Others used the “galvanism” technique to deliver electrical shocks into the ear canal, aiming to induce a nerve response.
The issue with each of those ear nerve stimulator types was that most hearing loss causes do not occur in the nervous system. The most common form of hearing loss is from damage in the cochlea’s tiny hair-like cells, and nervous stimulation will not be effective in reviving those damaged cells.
Many other unusual treatments of the 19th Century involve using artificial eardrums. Such metal instruments were painful when inserted and had almost no effect on hearing loss.
Another strange attempt at a remedy was called blistering, whereby a doctor will create a blister on the skin to eliminate the contaminants that cause hearing loss along with the pus. The therapy, as you might have guessed, failed to restore the hearing abilities of the patient.
Beethoven: A tale of hearing loss before hearing aids
Beethoven might be one of the most prominent figures in music, but that is not all he is known for. During his mid-20s, he suffered from hearing issues that started to worsen into near-deafness by the mid-’40s. The cause of the problem was never identified, but he did not sit idly and disregard hearing loss. Realizing that his ears were essential to his work, he did everything he could find a solution for his hearing issues.
Several of the techniques proposed by Beethoven’s doctors included the use of almond oil earplugs to stimulate hearing, bathing in the Danube river, and the use of mild electric currents, called galvanism, to encourage his hearing. One psychiatrist also recommended solitude and silence to give his ears a sound break and a chance to recover.
Unfortunately, none of these improved his hearing. Even as his hearing declined, Beethoven continued to compose legendary musical pieces until he died in 1827.
Solutions of the 20th Century
Dubious hearing loss cures are not strictly limited to the distant past. Here are some of the more questionable hearing loss cures touted even today.
Hypnosis: Hypnosis is one modern treatment for hearing loss, and some people believe their hearing loss has been healed through hypnosis sessions.
Drugs: Have you heard of the hearing loss pill? The developers of the pill claim it can cure hearing loss. The medicine, which contains a mixture of vitamins and minerals that support cellular safety, won’t hurt you, but even these drugs can’t cure hearing loss.
PSAPs: Personal Sound Amplification Devices (PSAPs) is a recent development of technology. You’ve probably seen them advertised on TV — small electronic sound amplifiers that allow users to enjoy night time television without upsetting sleepers, or hear their kids from several yards away.
The Federal Government has taken measures to warn consumers that they are not a replacement for hearing aids, despite what the marketing of some of these devices suggests:
“While these personal sound amplifiers may help people hear things that are at low volume or a distance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to ensure that consumers don’t mistake them—or use them as substitutes—for approved hearing aids.”
Hearing aids are one of the most effective treatments today
If Beethoven were alive today, he would likely be wearing hearing aids. These devices have evolved in the past few decades to become the most effective treatment for hearing loss. They are by no means a cure, and they can take a while to get used to, but they have helped people around the world reconnect with their loved ones and live better lives as a result.
If you have hearing loss, be sure to seek support from the right source: a licensed health practitioner or audiologist. These professionals will help you fit hearing aids to your exact hearing prescriptions, and will maximize your chances of success while wearing them.
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