As many as 48 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss, but that is not a group you have to be a part of. Hearing loss prevention is all about precaution, and because our ears are so vulnerable, it’s necessary to act as quickly and in as many ways as you can. Continue reading to learn more about some effective methods to prevent hearing loss.
Steer Clear of Loud Noises
The first way to prevent hearing loss is simple—stay away from loud noises as best as you can. An easy indicator to tell if a noise is too loud is if you start to experience pain in your ears, have trouble hearing, suffer from ringing in your ears, or if you raise your voice when talking to others. Paying attention to the number of decibels something produces is also helpful, and you can even monitor this with a smartphone app.
Watch the Volume
Many people use music to get them through the workday, a workout, or a long drive, but these habits can lead to hearing loss if you aren’t careful. The main thing you need to be conscious of is how high you have the volume. The longer you listen to music at a high volume, the more harmful it can be to your hearing. The good news is that you can also easily monitor your volume with a smartphone.
Give Your Ears a Break
In addition to turning down the volume, it’s also not a bad idea to give your ears a break from a lot of noise, either. For instance, you could choose not to listen to music in the car sometimes to minimize how much exposure your ears get.
Wear a Device for Protection
There are also many different devices you can choose from to protect your ears in certain environments. Choosing to wear hearing aids, earmuffs, or ear plugs can keep your ears safe when you are in a noisy environment.
Get Your Hearing Tested
Don’t make the mistake of ignoring any issues you have with your ears. You can get treatment that can help. Seeing an audiologist at our Clear Lake ENT clinic or one of our other locations is another effective method to prevent hearing loss.