Perhaps you’ve recently grown a little more concerned that you might be having hearing problems, or you have had a hearing test only to find out that you are beginning to show some signs of hearing loss. Naturally, you’re going to want to do what you can to avoid making your hearing any worse. Here, we’re going to look at a few ways to do that.
Reduce dangerous levels of noise
Any noises that are louder than 85 decibels can do permanent damage to your hearing. The louder the noise or the longer the exposure, the greater the risk. For reference, an average motorized lawn mower gives off noises of around 90 decibels, while fireworks get up to and over 150 decibels. The single best thing that you can do is make sure that you’re never exposing your ears to these kinds of noises for long periods of time, or never too close to the source of the noise itself. People turning up the volume on their earphones or headphones when listening to music is a very common cause of hearing problems, too.
Give your ears real protection
While avoiding those loud noises might be the safest option, it’s not always possible. If you work in loud environments or enjoy loud hobbies, then you should be looking at hearing protection, instead. There are different kinds of ear protection, from earplugs to ear muffs, and the different kinds of them have noise reduction ratings which will tell you about how much they’re able to reduce noise exposure. Get an idea of the noise levels you expose yourself to and choose the protection that can bring it down to a safe level.
Take care of earwax
Earwax is a common occurrence in our bodies and is usually nothing to be concerned about. Although, some people may produce more than others, leading to a blockage. This blockage can temporarily affect your hearing but is often harmless. However, if the blockage persists, it could increase the likelihood of an ear infection and hearing loss if left untreated. Therefore, it’s best to have your earwax cleaned professionally by an audiologist to ensure safety. Attempting to clean it yourself can be hazardous, possibly causing the wax to be pushed further into the ear or damaging the ear canal.
Get a hearing test
Simply put, the single best option to ensure that you’re fully aware of the state of your hearing and what else you might need to do to protect it is to visit an audiologist or doctor who can provide a hearing test. They can see the full range of your hearing and will also carry out a physical examination to take a look at your ears to see if there are any obvious problems with them that can be treated, too, like infections or fluid buildup.
If you want to be serious about keeping your hearing for longer, then you have to be diligent when it comes to your hearing health. Keep the tips above in mind going forward.
