One of our most important senses is our ability to hear. Unfortunately, our hearing can become impaired over time due to various causes. While hearing loss is one of the most common chronic medical conditions in the U.S., Hearing Aids of Sarasota can teach you healthy habits to protect your hearing, so you significantly reduce your risk of developing an impairment.
Noise-induced hearing loss
Loud noises in short bursts and prolonged exposure can contribute to permanent hearing loss over time. The noises that can damage the structures and nerve fibers in the inner ear can include one-time noise events like an explosion or repetitive or prolonged activities like rock concerts, construction sites, noisy workplaces, fireworks, mowing your lawn, or even listening to your favorite daily podcast at a loud volume. With so many people now using personal audio devices, there is a much higher percentage of being exposed to unsafe levels of noise over more extended periods of use.
Preventative ways to keep your hearing intact
What measures can you take to protect your hearing? Here are several ways you can prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
- Get baseline hearing tests. Consider including these in your annual checkups. Your local Sarasota audiologist can compare these with future tests to monitor any changes or progression of hearing loss. Contact us today to schedule.
- Wear ear protection. Earplugs are a great way to prevent damage to your ears when you know you will be somewhere with prolonged exposure to loud noise. You can pick these up online, in many stores, or even have your audiologist make a recommendation.
- Keep the volume at a reasonable level. Watching TV and listening to music are two activities most people enjoy. Ensure that you keep the volume at a level that you aren’t straining to hear or that can be heard from another room.
- Have a custom earmold made. This is a relatively inexpensive way to protect your hearing. The molds block outside noise so you can better hear without increasing volume to unsafe levels. There are a variety of styles, and your audiologist can help you find the perfect one.
Some other, less obvious ways to keep your hearing healthy include:
- Exercise- Believe it or not, being physically active can help to reduce the risk of developing hearing loss.
- Social interaction- Our brains play a big part in processing and understanding sound. While it may not play as significant a role in hearing loss, being socially removed can affect how we process information.
- Clean your ears safely- Use a washcloth to clean the outside gently and around your ears. Ear wax is necessary to help keep your ears lubricated, and excessive cleaning, especially with cotton swabs inside the ear, is not recommended. They can push wax further into the ear or damage the eardrums. If you have excessive wax, contact Hearing Aids of Sarasota, and we can safely remove the wax.
- Take listening breaks- Give yourself some time in absolute quiet. The longer your exposure to loud sounds, the greater the risk for damage. Giving your ears a rest helps them recover and reduces your risk of permanent damage.
We live in a fast-paced, noise-filled world. However, our sense of hearing helps us enjoy the world around us, so we want to engage in healthy habits to preserve our hearing for years to come. Let Hearing Aids of Sarasota assist you with your auditory needs today!
