You may think that only older persons need to worry about hearing loss, but you would be wrong. The time to do something about preventing hearing loss is before it happens, and while you are young.
You may also think that by the time you lose your hearing, there will be a plethora of some of the most powerful hearing aids in the world. But you can’t always count on technology to correct something you can avoid.
Here are 4 things you can do right now to preserve your good hearing.
1. Ear Buds
Using earbuds or headphones to listen to music is the number one way people are losing their hearing. Many individuals listen to their music at a volume that is too loud for near-direct contact with the eardrum.
When listening to music or audiobooks with earbuds or headphones, do not turn up the volume past 60 percent of the maximum volume. Some of the newer devices have a limit on the volume, but the older ones do not.
Be sure to take a break when using headphones and earbuds to give your ears a rest. Try to stop listening through the in earpieces at least 5 to 10 minutes each hour.
2. Avoiding Loud Noises
This may be a simple solution to keeping your hearing in top shape, but it isn’t always possible to avoid loud noises. Things such as traffic, construction, visiting a movie theater and music concerts are all too loud for the average human.
Noises are measured using decibels. This is similar to other measurements like height and weight. Avoiding loud noises can include the distance away from the noise as well as the length of time you are exposed to the noise.
There are some factors you cannot avoid, no matter how prepared you are. For these instances, do your best to get away from the noise as soon as possible. For traffic noise with construction, like a jackhammer, keep a pair of earplugs in the car for such an emergency.
3. Protect Your Hearing at Work
You may think this is only for construction workers or heavy machine operators in factories. However; individuals that work in regular office buildings can also be subject to loud noise.
These noises can come from copy machines, air conditioners, bookbinding, and stamping machines as well as larger computers and calculators. The constant hum or a clicking sound can damage a person’s hearing as they are exposed to these noises for long periods of time. In this case, it is not the loudness, but the duration of the noise.
4. Get Your Hearing Checked
If you think you are losing your hearing, get a hearing test as soon as possible. Go to a certified audiologist who are trained in special ways to score and determine the amount of loss in one’s hearing.
If you have a job that requires you to use earplugs or attend several live concerts and movies each year, you may want to consider getting your hearing checked once a year.
