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5 Ways You Can Protect Your Hearing

Hearing is people’s most social sense. It allows them to talk with friends and family, engage in various group activities and enjoy many things that help them shape their quality of life.

Unfortunately, people’s ability to hear can decrease over time for various reasons. In most cases, it is due to exposure to loud noises or prolonged use of medications that can adversely affect one’s hearing. And once the hearing is damaged, it is almost impossible to restore it completely.

As soon as individuals notice the first signs of hearing loss, they immediately turn to hearing aid devices to help improve their hearing. Santa Clarita Hearing Center’s audiologist can help you select and fit the right hearing aid. However, before you look for the nearest hearing aid store, you should know that there are a few ways you can protect your hearing.

In this post, we share five tips on keeping your hearing in good shape.

Wear protective hearing gear

Whenever you find yourself in a noisy environment such as a rock concert, a movie theater, or a sports event, it is imperative that you wear protective hearing gear. This usually includes earplugs or protective earphones, allowing you to hear the sounds you love and protecting your hearing from such harmful noises.

Because there are many types of hearing protectors available, you have plenty of options to choose from that fit your style and are the most comfortable. You can even find them in different colors and designs to match what you wear.

Avoid loud noises

The number one cause of hearing loss is loud noises in most cases. This refers to any sounds that exceed 85 decibels, which is the measurement of sound. Whether it is a loud burst or years of prolonged exposure, loud noises can certainly hurt your ears and even cause permanent damage. Some common sources of this include fireworks, sirens, and even headphones.

The best solution for this is to try and avoid loud noises as much as possible. If you cannot, make sure you always have your earplugs on whenever you are in a noisy environment to protect your hearing.

Rest and recover your ears

After being exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time, it is advised that you give your ears time to rest and recover. Your auditory system is like every other system in your body. It can definitely benefit from a time off every now and then.

For example, if you attend a rock concert, you should step outside and take a break every few minutes if possible to rest your ears. According to researchers, your ears need an average of 16 hours of quiet to fully recover from a loud night out.

Manage stress levels

Stress is often considered the primary cause of almost any health condition, even hearing loss. When your stress levels are high, they can trigger a flare-up in tinnitus, a common hearing issue that occurs when a person experiences a constant ringing, buzzing, or hissing noise in one or both of their ears.

Therefore, the best way to alleviate tinnitus symptoms is to manage your stress levels effectively. You can do this by taking a break every 20 minutes from whatever is causing you stress. Engaging in regular physical activity to get the blood pumping to all parts of your body, including the ears, and meditating.

Get regular checkups

Getting your hearing tested, especially as you get older, is crucial for protecting your hearing. A regular ear exam can help you identify any gradually developing hearing problems before they can seriously impact your hearing ability and become more difficult to treat.

If you do not have any current hearing issues, you should continue to get tested every ten years until you turn 50 and then every three years. Your audiologist will monitor your ear health and give you the right treatment according to your needs if necessary.

Hearing exam
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Final thoughts

Your life cannot be complete without your ability to hear. Hearing allows you to communicate with others, connect with the rest of the world and enjoy all the things in life that shape your life. Therefore, it is important that you protect your hearing at all costs to continue to do and hear the things and sounds you love.

If you want to know more about this, refer to our post and learn how you can protect your hearing safely and effectively.

Featured Photo by Mark Paton on Unsplash