These 5 simple tips give you practical ways to protect your hearing
If hearing loss runs in your family or it’s already started to affect you, you might think there’s little that you can do to prevent it further. The truth, however, is that you can always take steps to protect your hearing and help your ears function better. Here are a few simple tips for protecting and prolonging your hearing from our Victoria audiology clinic.
Tip 1: Avoid Prolonged Exposure to loud noise
This tip might seem obvious, but many people don’t consider how much loud noise they are actually exposed to on a daily basis. For instance, mowing your lawn or riding a motorcycle for longer than an hour could potentially damage your hearing, as could attending live music shows or concerts or even playing the stereo in your car too loud. Any time you know you’re going to be around loud noises for a prolonged period of time, you should take steps to lessen your exposure.
Tip 2: Lessen Exposure with Hearing Protection
One of the best ways to protect your hearing is to control the amount of sound to which your ears are exposed. Using ear plugs or over the ear protection devices are a good way to keep your ears safe from noise exposure. It’s a good idea to use hearing protection any time you won’t be able to otherwise move away from or reduce the source of the noise, such as when using power tools or firing firearms. It’s also a good idea to give your ears time to recover after exposure to loud noises.
Tip 3: Turn Down the Volume
Another good strategy for protecting your hearing is to reduce the intensity of noises that you can control. This includes turning down the volume of music when you listen in the car or over headphones and moving farther away from other sources of loud noise like construction zones or concert sound systems. Sound intensity falls rapidly as you get farther away from the source, so try to put as much distance as you can between yourself and any potentially damaging sources of noise.
Tip 4: Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Along with reducing noise-related sources of hearing loss, you can also help protect your hearing by living a healthier lifestyle. For example, walking, cycling, or other cardiovascular exercise can help improve blood flow throughout your body, which can help protect your ears’ function. Quitting smoking is another good tip – several clinical studies have found links between cigarette smoke exposure and an increased risk of hearing loss.
Tip 5: Get your Hearing Checked
Another good way to prevent hearing loss is to catch it before it gets serious. Untreated hearing loss has a tendency to get worse as time goes on, but if you can catch hearing loss before it gets too serious you have a better chance of recovering. A qualified Victoria audiologist can test your hearing against baseline levels and help you catch problems you might not even notice yourself. If your hearing loss is already more serious, you can help preserve the hearing you have left by wearing hearing aids as well. It’s a good idea to get regular hearing exams starting at age 50, though it never hurts to start earlier.
To learn more about preserving your hearing, contact us today at the Victoria Hearing Center. As Victoria’s leading audiology clinic and hearing aid specialists, we can help you diagnose any hearing problems and suggest solutions that can restore your hearing and make your life easier. Call (361) 573-4832 today to schedule your appointment.
