Amish Cure for Hearing Loss-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
The Amish have found a natural way to cure hearing loss.
The Truth:
The Amish haven’t developed a secret formula to cure hearing loss.
Claims about the so-called Amish miracle cure for hearing loss can be traced back to websites that focus on holistic healing. Most of the websites claim that herbal supplements (which they happen to sell) can cure hearing loss. Other sites, like this one, sell books on how to improve your hearing naturally.
There’s no scientific proof that herbal supplements can be used to cure hearing loss. The Mayo Clinic says that the known treatment options for hearing loss are: removing wax blockage, surgical procedures, hearing aids and Cochlear implants.
But there is hope for a cure. Most noise-induced hearing loss comes from damaged cells and nerves in the inner ear. The Hearing Health Foundation said that chickens are able to regenerate these cells, and that could be a good sign for humans:
“The key to restoring hearing in humans is to regenerate cells deep within the inner ear. In fact, most types of hearing loss in humans results from damage to these cells, called hair cells.
“While humans cannot regenerate hair cells in the inner ear after they are damaged, chickens can. In fact, most animals other than mammals can regenerate these delicate cells, restoring their hearing spontaneously after damage. Our goal is to translate this to humans.”
Still, there aren’t any known herbal cures (Amish or otherwise) for hearing loss. Be wary of any product or company that makes that claim.