Age-related hearing loss and hearing decline is extremely common and often ends up being a real source of anxiety, irritation, and frustration, for the people who have to deal with it.
It’s good to know that there are all sorts of advanced and cutting-edge hearing aids out there on the market today. But, of course, it’s always best to prevent hearing loss in the first place, if possible, rather than recklessly allowing your hearing to deteriorate and counting on hearing aids to save the day further down the line.
Here are a few basic and straightforward tips for protecting your hearing and reducing your risk of hearing loss.
Be wary of loud noises, and use ear protection as necessary
Everyone knows, more or less, that it’s good to avoid exposure to loud noises too often, or for too long, for the sake of protecting their hearing.
In practice, though, it’s quite often the case that we will assume or imagine that our hearing will be fine regardless of how many loud concerts we attend, or how many times we end up standing a bit too close to the explosions during a firework display.
Any loud noise over 85 dB is said to have the potential to cause hearing loss. And significantly louder noises can cause a substantial degree of hearing loss, instantly.
Keep in mind loud rock concerts commonly exceed 100 dB, as do firework explosions.
If you love going to concerts or attending firework displays, all the same, get yourself a high-quality pair of earplugs to filter and reduce the noise that you’re exposed to, and to spare your ears from the assault. Over time, these earplugs may really save you a lot of hearing damage.
Get earwax buildup dealt with properly – and avoid potentially dangerous measures
Earwax buildup is unlikely to cause permanent hearing loss – unless it ends up leading to serious ear infections.
All the same, buildup of earwax certainly can restrict your hearing, and the effects of this over time can be quite severe.
A real source of danger to your hearing, however, actually lies in some of the remedies that are out there for “treating” earwax buildup. “Ear candles,” for example, have been known to lead to serious damage to the inner ear, including rupturing of the eardrum, in various cases.
If you’ve got an earwax buildup – or if you think you have – get down to a professional, and get assessed and treated “by the book.” Avoid any remedies that are more blatantly risky or “experimental.”
Get your hearing tested, and get professional advice
One of the best things you can do in order to look after the health of your hearing is to get your ears tested by a professional, and to get their advice on what you should or shouldn’t be doing in order to keep your hearing from deteriorating.
It might be that your hearing is better than you thought. Or maybe it’s worse than you thought. In any event, having it empirically tested and assessed can be a very useful thing to do.
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