While we do continuously improve how we treat it, the fact remains that there is no reliable way to reverse common hearing loss. It is always going to be a case of working with it, instead of curing it.
As such, it’s always a better idea to ensure that you’re taking what steps you can to decrease your risk of developing hearing loss. Here, we’re going to look at the steps you can take to do that.
Watch your noise levels
The most important aspect of hearing loss prevention is, above all else, reducing your exposure to unsafe levels of noise. Any noise that is over 70 decibels loud poses a risk of contributing to long-term hearing loss. This is around the level of being in the same room as a washing machine or dishwasher, but there are plenty of online scales that you can check to see what kind of danger a particular level of noise might pose. The louder the noise is, the less time you need to be exposed to it for it to cause permanent damage to your hearing.
Stay protected
Avoiding sources of overly loud noise when you can is a good way to protect your hearing, but sometimes that’s not optimal. You might work in a workplace where you’re very likely to be exposed to high levels of noise, you might commute on busy roads, or you might enjoy hobbies such as concerts or hitting the firing range. Hearing protection can ensure that you can reduce the level of noise your ears are exposed to, and you can check any product’s earplug noise ratings for an idea of how many decibels they can reduce external noise by. Try to choose hearing protection that will take the level of noise you’re likely to be exposed to down to safe levels.
Mind your heart and blood health
You might not immediately think of it, but your heart health and ear health are very closely connected. Good circulation to the ears is what keeps the hair cells that receive noise healthy and problems with your circulation can interrupt their blood flow, causing them to die off without your notice. If you have any problems with your heart or blood health, you should ensure you get your ears checked out more often. Even medication that affects your circulation can affect your hearing.
Get it checked
One of the best ways to ensure that you’re taking the appropriate care of your hearing is to visit your audiologist more often for a hearing health check. A simple hearing test doesn’t take very long to complete but can highlight all manner of issues. More importantly, by having a baseline test, you can more easily see even slight signs of hearing loss in the future, which could be evidence that you need to do more to protect your hearing.
Hearing loss remains one of the most common forms of disability, and there are increasing concerns that we’re living in a louder world that will increase the risk even further. Keep the tips above in mind.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps.