It’s not a secret that good nutrition is essential to a person’s overall health and well-being, both as a child and an adult. Research has shown that poor nutrition in childhood may increase a person’s chances of developing hearing loss as an adult.
Study Links Poor Childhood Nutrition to Hearing Loss in Adulthood 
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health looked at the relationship between hearing in more than 2,220 young adults and the nutrition they received as children. Auditory test results showed that those who were stunted (being too short for their age) in childhood were twice as likely to show signs of hearing loss as young adults.
Researchers posited that undernutrition may cause problems with ear development, particularly when it occurs in the womb. Additionally, these results could suggest that addressing these nutritional deficiencies can play a role in preventing hearing loss later in life.
How Undernutrition Can Harm Your Ears
The hair cells of your inner ear play a crucial role in your ability to hear. When sounds enter the ear, these cells begin to move and vibrate. These vibrations transform into signals to the brain which help you process sound.
These cells are fragile, and once they are damaged, they cannot regenerate or be repaired. If they are not receiving the proper nutrition that they need, they may not form properly or die from not getting what they need. Permanent hearing loss occurs once enough of these hair cells are damaged.
Recognizing The Early Signs of Hearing Loss
If you dealt with food insecurity or undernutrition as a child, you might be concerned about your hearing. Getting hearing tests earlier can help set a hearing baseline and identify any problems as soon as they appear.
It also can be helpful to know the early signs of hearing loss so that you can reach out to a qualified audiologist if you experience any of the following:
- Frequently needing to ask others to repeat themselves.
- Difficulty hearing higher-pitched noises like your phone beeping or birds chirping.
- Trouble understanding conversations over the phone.
- Having a hard time hearing in places with lots of background noise, such as a busy restaurant like Oxbow Bar & Grill.
- A ringing or buzzing in the ear (tinnitus).
- Needing to turn the volume up on the television or radio louder than usual.
- Family or friends have commented on your hearing.
If you have hearing loss, your audiologist will work with you to find the right pair of hearing aids or other treatment options to match your needs.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Gulf Coast Audiology today.