Hearing loss has become rampant these days, with loud machinery in the workplace, hydraulic horns, as well as heavy metal concerts.
Noise is a common reason for suffering from hearing loss. We expose ourselves to various sources of damaging noise levels throughout the day.
Besides, as we age, our tiny hair cells in the inner ears slowly break down, losing the ability to pick up sound vibrations like they previously did. [1]
Sometimes, congenital issues can lead to hearing loss. It’s one of the most prevalent chronic conditions. The reasons can be genetic or some injuries while in the womb. [2]
Luckily, you can protect your ears if you’re careful.
This article looks into some prevention tactics that may help you reduce the possibility of hearing loss.
1. Limit Your Exposure to Noisy Areas.
While you cannot stop machines and vehicles from producing noises, you can limit your exposure to them. Try to avoid those noisy areas as much as possible.
If your workplace is too noisy, consider taking a break of 15 minutes and spend some time in a quiet place. If your job requires a quiet environment, talk to your HR so that you can move to a room with less noise.
Move away from the sources of loud music while you’re in a concert. Take a break from the music every 15 minutes if possible.
2. Take Precautions to Save Your Hearing.
You may consider wearing protection if you’re around loud sounds for more than a few minutes. Earmuffs or earplugs can be a good choice to protect your ears as they can reduce noise by 15 to 30 decibels.
Always wear earplugs if your workplace is too loud. Also, try to switch to quieter equipment if possible.
Some musicians’ earplugs can reduce the volume of the music without muffling it. Consider wearing them while you’re at a concert.
3. Quit Making Loud Noises.
You may love to listen to music at a loud volume, but it’s quite harmful to your ears, as well as to others.
Any sound that is more than 140 decibels, such as loud explosions, can lead to permanent hearing loss. [3]
Try to listen to any music at a low and comfortable volume. Do not turn the volume up just to cover the outside noise; use noise-canceling earphones instead.
You can consider visiting in a quiet area like a forest or along cool water. These places can have some beneficial effects on your health.
While driving, stop making unnecessary honking. Also, avoid using hydraulic horns, and don’t use any exhaust system in your car that produces loud sounds.
4. Take A Hearing Test.
It’s important to get your ears tested if you’re concerned about them. The earlier you can pick up the problem, the easier the treatment will be.
Even if you don’t have any hearing problems, you may consider having a yearly checkup to find out whether you may need to follow any hearing loss prevention strategy.
Some expert audiologists can conduct a hearing test to find out the condition of your ears. Find the right audiologist like the one on this site for you or your children and get the test done.
5. Protect Your Child’s Hearing.
Have you ever wondered why children cry when they are exposed to loud noises? It’s because their ears are more sensitive to high-pitched sounds than the adults.
If you see your child crying or complaining about loud noises, make sure to keep them away from that noise and take them to the doctor for a hearing test.
Loud sounds can hurt your child’s ears, causing permanent damage. Hence, it’s crucial to look after their hearing from a young age.
You can use earplugs that are suitable for children if you need to take them to a noisy place. Besides, limit their usage of smartphones or any other devices for listening to music and make sure the sound level is safe while they are listening to music.
Bottom Line
Hearing loss may be a natural thing for elderly persons, but quite unfortunate for younger people, especially children. Anyone can suffer from hearing loss accidentally even if they follow a healthy lifestyle.
Fortunately, you can prevent the hearing loss of your child if you detect the problem at an earlier age. Modern technology has come up with some revolutionary options that may help identify any problem before they are born.
You can also avoid hearing damage by following some tactics. Avoid the noisy area as much as possible. Also, listen to music at a lower volume and use protective earplugs if you’re around loud noises.
Remember, you can also hurt others while listening to loud music or honking for no reason. So, keep the sound low for the sake of everyone’s health.
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