Nicotine restriction (abstaining from tobacco use) including passive smoking Tobacco (smoking) – leads to a 1.7-fold risk of hearing loss, especially in the high frequencies
Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day) Alcohol – in high doses (woman: > 40 g/day; man: > 60 g/day) and permanently leads to increased hearing loss. Moderate alcohol consumption counteracts a hearing loss, however, rather!
Aim for normal weight! Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised weight loss program or program for underweight.
Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
Noise – so there is a risk of noise-induced hearing loss at constant or year-long sound levels of 85 dB(A); even short-term strong noise such as loud disco music (110 dB) should be avoided; among the recognized occupational diseases, noise-induced hearing loss is the most common occupational disease with about 40%.
Cochlear implantation (cochlear implant) – hearing prosthesis for people with severe to profound hearing loss (complete deafness) or even when inner ear function is inadequate; electronic medical device that takes over the function of the damaged parts of the inner ear to transmit audio signals to the brain (therapy of choice for unilateral or bilateral deafness)
Medical aids
Hearing aids (first-line therapy; see the title of the same name for more information), i.e., bilateral hearing aid provision. There are a variety of hearing aid options for this purpose, for example, in-the-ear devices (ITE hearing aids) or behind-the-ear devices (BTE hearing aids). For more see below “Hearing aids“.
Notes on fitness to drive:
Group 1 driving license (classes A, A1, B, BE, M, S, L, T): can be granted if bilateral profound hearing loss (hearing loss at least 60% in the better ear, determined without hearing aid) or bilateral hearing loss, if no other serious deficiencies such as impaired vision or balance are added.
Group 2 driving license (classes C, C1, CE, C1E, D, D1, DE, D1E, FzF): here, specialist medical fitness examinations are required when acquiring a driver’s license and regular medical checks for fitness to drive. Furthermore, a three-year driving experience with a motor vehicle of class B is to be proven.
Regular checkups
Regular medical checkups
Nutritional medicine
Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
