Tips For Maintaining Good Hearing Health

Hearing health is something that often goes overlooked until it’s too late. In fact, nearly half of all adults in the United States who are 65 and older have some degree of hearing loss. But hearing loss doesn’t just affect seniors – it can happen at any age. That’s why it’s important to take steps to protect your hearing and keep your ears healthy!

Limit Your Exposure to Loud Noises

Limiting your exposure to loud noises is among the best methods to preserve good hearing health. Hearing loss can result from repeated exposure to loud noises that permanently harm the sensitive inner ear structures. Often referred to as noise-induced hearing loss, this kind of hearing loss (NIHL). To protect your hearing, it’s important to limit your exposure to sounds that are 85 decibels or higher.

Some everyday activities and environments that may put you at risk for NIHL include listening to loud music through headphones, going to concerts or clubs, shooting a gun at a firing range, working in construction, and attending a sporting event. If you find yourself in one of these situations, make sure you’re taking the necessary precautions – like wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones – to protect your ears.

It’s also important to take breaks from loud noises whenever possible. For example, when listening to music with headphones, keep the volume at an appropriate level and take regular breaks so that your ears can rest.

Get Your Hearing Checked Regularly

Getting your hearing checked regularly by an audiologist is essential for maintaining good hearing health. Audiologists are trained professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing, balance, and other ear-related disorders. During a hearing evaluation, an audiologist will assess your hearing and provide treatment recommendations based on their findings.

During an evaluation, the audiologist will measure the softest sounds you can hear in each ear and determine if there is any damage to the auditory system. Depending on the results of the assessment, they may recommend further diagnostic testing or suggest treatments such as hearing aids, tinnitus management strategies, or assistive listening devices.

It’s important to get your hearing tested annually because hearing loss can happen gradually over time. In fact, many people don’t realize they have a problem until it has become significant enough to impact their quality of life or cause communication difficulties with family members or peers. An annual screening can help identify even subtle changes in your hearing that might otherwise go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Additionally, getting your ears examined by an audiologist can help detect any underlying medical conditions that may be causing or contributing to hearing loss – such as infection or fluid buildup in the middle ear and develop a plan for managing them effectively. Finally, by scheduling regular checkups with an audiologist, you’ll be well on your way to preserving your valuable sense of hearing for years to come!

Wear Hearing Protection When Necessary

Wearing hearing protection is an essential step to preserving your hearing health and preventing noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing protection products, such as earplugs, earmuffs and noise-canceling headphones, are designed to reduce the intensity of sound waves that reach your inner ear. They can be used in a variety of settings where loud noises may be present, including concerts, sporting events, construction sites, and shooting ranges.

When it comes to finding the right hearing protection product for you, it’s important to consider the type of environment you’ll be in and the length of time you’ll need to wear them. For example, earplugs are typically recommended for people who will be exposed to loud noises for short periods of time – like going to a concert or a shooting range – while earmuffs are usually better suited for long-term use in noisy environments like construction sites.

In addition to reducing the volume of sounds entering your ears, using hearing protection can help prevent other forms of hearing damage as well. For example, repeated exposure to loud sounds can cause fatigue and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which can further contribute to hearing loss over time. Wearing appropriate hearing protection, when necessary, can help reduce these risks and keep your ears healthy!

Don’t Ignore Hearing Loss or Hearing Problems

If you experience any hearing-related symptoms – such as difficulty understanding conversations, ringing in the ears, pain or discomfort while listening to loud noises, or frequent ear infections – it’s important to get your hearing checked by an audiologist right away. Ignoring potential hearing problems can lead to more serious issues down the line and make it difficult to receive proper care and treatment.

Additionally, if you already have a pre-existing hearing loss, it’s essential that you follow all of your audiologist’s instructions for managing the condition. This may include wearing appropriate hearing protection when necessary, avoiding high noise levels when possible, and regularly cleaning your ear molds or other assistive devices used for better sound amplification.

By staying on top of your hearing health, you can ensure that any hearing loss or other issues get treated early and effectively. Doing so will help protect your quality of life, reduce the risk of further damage, and ensure that you’re able to hear clearly for many years to come! For more information on protecting your hearing or to schedule a hearing test, reach out to us at Hear In MetroWest by calling (774) 375-0373 to schedule an appointment.