This particular statistic may come as a surprise to you but almost 60 percent of hearing loss that occurs in childhood is preventable. It is true that the genetic reasons for hearing loss cannot really be controlled but, there are other ways in which you can protect your hearing.
Some of these things involve making sure to wear hearing protection when in loud environments and also making sure that you get proper help from qualified professionals if the issues persist. If you get hearing loss all of a sudden, it is also a very important time for you to get medical help. Let us now take a closer look at some of the things that can really help you with protecting your hearing.
Loud Noises Should be Avoided
The best way to protect yourself from loud noises is to make sure that you stay away from such places. Extremely loud noises can really damage your hearing, so it is a good idea to stay away from such noise sources in the first place. The following can be ways in which noise can damage your hearing.
- You need to raise your voice in order to communicate with people who are less than about 3 feet away.
- You have problems understanding people who are less than about 3 feet away.
- Your ears hurt
- There is a sort of ringing in your ears
- You get muffled hearing later on
Make sure your devices are not too loud
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, approximately more than a billion people worldwide are at risk of getting hearing loss due to some sort of use of personal audio equipment.
When we are using earbuds, we generally tend to turn up the volume a bit too much as the sound quality is so poor. This is the reason why they are much more dangerous for our hearing than any type of noise-cancelling headphones. Also, it is not all that simple as well. You need to be also wary of how long you are using these devices, etc. The following can really help:
- Follow the 60:60 rule. Make sure that the volume of your music does not exceed 60 percent of the maximum volume of the device. Make sure you do not listen at this level for more than 60 minutes per day.
- Make sure that you turn the dial down of your devices. Small differences can build up to big things.
- Make sure that your ears get adequate time to recover. Make sure that you give yourself a break from exposure to noise constantly.
Be Extra Cautious at Work and Loud Environments
Hearing loss that is noise-induced can occur in the workplaces that are very loud like those who are working in mining, or with very heavy machinery, etc. Occupational hearing loss can develop over time.
Other types of noise-induced hearing loss can occur in situations like in recreational shooting, concerts and also clubs. Know that if you are in an environment where you have to raise your voice to communicate with others then that environment is too loud. This is also the case if the voices of others sound muffled to you or you get a type of ringing within the ears.
These days, there are really no excuses for not wearing proper hearing protection when you are in these types of environments. Hearing protection can be bought almost anywhere. It is always a good idea to, however, talk to your audiologist first.
Make sure that your ears are dry
If you are really into swimming or going to the beach in general, you may be inadvertently putting yourself at risk of developing hearing loss. If you get water stuck in your ears, know that this is absolutely the most perfect condition for bacteria to grow in. When the inside of your ears are too moist, it will allow bacteria to spread easily in your ears and also help with spreading infections. This may also lead to your ears feeling itchy or at times, even painful.
The best way to make sure that this does not happen to you is to make sure to keep your ears dry. After you are done with your shower or swimming, make sure to dry off your ears just like how you dry off all the other parts of your body. If you think water is stuck in your ears, then a very good idea is to tilt your head to one side and then proceed to tugging the earlobes gently. This will coax out the water. Ear wax removal in Harrow will present fewer issues.
Get Regular Hearing Tests
If you yourself have been able to notice a slight reduction in your ability to hear or you have had other people tell you that you are missing out on conversations, then it is very important that you book yourself a hearing test as soon as is feasibly possible. If it turns out that you have lost some of your hearing, there are active steps you can take in order to make sure that you don’t lose any further hearing.
The following are some of the symptoms and indicators of hearing loss:
- Always needing to turn up the volume of the TV or the radio
- You often notice that you need others to repeat what they have said to you
- Social isolation and withdrawal
- Changing your position in order to hear better
- Not being able to hear the doorbell or the phone ring.
