Protect Your Hearing: Why You Should and How You Can

Hearing loss is often thought of as a sign of aging. You get older, you lose the ability to see, hear, move… This can be why so many people feel useless in the senior stages of life; they depend so much on others to help them with these aspects. They depend on technology to help them hear, glasses to help them see, walkers and wheelchairs to get them from A to B, even in their own home! It can be a difficult way to live, in more ways than one. But that doesn’t have to be the case. There are ways to protect your hearing and health from being diminished with age. 

If you want to ensure your ability to hear isn’t hindered as the years’ age, then you better read this article. You’ll find ways to help yourself at any stage of your life, from now until…well, forever!

Why is hearing so important?

Most of the time it’s not something we even think about. It’s always there, quietly going about its business. But if you’re having trouble hearing, you’ll realize just how important it is. Hearing is a sense many people struggle to live without. It’s our way of communicating through verbal and non-verbal means. It’s how we gather information, how we understand what others are saying, how we interact socially. It’s crucial. When you have hearing loss, it affects your ability to pick up on important cues, especially in social situations.

If you have hearing loss, you may find yourself avoiding events. You may find yourself turning down invitations to go out, to social gatherings. You may find yourself spending more time alone. That’s because you’re missing out on so much. Hearing loss impacts social interactions and relationships. It makes it more difficult to hear, process and transmits and receive information. It can also lead to isolation. If you’re missing out on so much, it’s understandable that you’d want to avoid these situations. 

Hearing loss can impact your mental health as well. You may feel isolated, lonely, and depressed. If you’re missing out on so much, it’s understandable that you’d want to avoid these situations. But it can also impact your physical health. You might not be aware of it, but hearing loss can be linked to heart attacks, strokes, and even dementia. When you have hearing loss, it can make it difficult for you to function independently. You may find yourself depending on others more. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to live like that. Technology, for one, has advanced so much in recent years. There are so many different gadgets that can help people who have reduced hearing, such as cochlear implants, hearing aids, and even apps! It’s also easier to get these items, as they are more accessible than ever before – a simple Google of “best hearing aids” will have several results. But you should know that there are also ways to protect your hearing and maintain it into old age.

Preventative Tips and Tasks

There are so many things you can do to protect and maintain your hearing. To begin with, you want to avoid things like loud noises. The louder the noise, the more harm it can cause. If you’re around loud noises all the time, it can cause permanent damage. So, try to avoid these or limit the time you are around them. You want to avoid going to loud concerts, or sporting events. Even if you love them and they’re a big part of your life, you don’t want to damage your ears.

Anybody who is around loud noise regularly should wear ear protection. These can be earplugs or earmuffs. Some people use music to drown out the loud noises around them. It’s not a great way to do it, but it’s better than nothing. It’s better to drown out the noise than to have it constantly ringing in your ears. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to just limit the noise. You want to avoid loud noises altogether.

If you do have to be around loud noises, make sure to take breaks. You should limit the time you spend around these noises. You can also use things like cotton balls or earplugs, and these will help protect your ears during concerts and sporting events, etc. Loud noises include music, construction tools, shooting, and more. So, always think about the volume of what’s around you and act accordingly.

The second tip to protect your hearing is to limit or stop smoking. Nicotine reduces the blood flow to your ears and increases the amount of earwax you produce. Quitting smoking is the best way to maintain your hearing. If you can’t quit altogether, at least cut-down. Another aspect you can control to avoid hearing loss is medication. There are some medications that can damage your ears. For example, if you have a cold, you should avoid over-the-counter decongestants. These can make your ears ring and can damage your hearing. 

So, it’s better to just use a neti-pot or other alternative treatments. It might not be the quickest remedy, but it will be the least likely to cause irreversible damage. It is important that you keep an eye on your overall health, too. This includes eating certain foods that can help to protect your hearing, getting enough exercise, monitoring your stress levels, and sleeping the correct amount.

Food

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These are filled with antioxidants and have plenty of vitamins and nutrients that will help protect your ears. Also, you want to eat foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in fish, like salmon and mackerel, and in a variety of nuts, like walnuts and flaxseeds. You should try to eat more healthy fats, too. These are found in olive oil, walnuts, and avocados. Make sure to get enough vitamin C in your diet. This is found in plenty of fruits and vegetables. It can help to build up the collagen in your ears, which can protect them from damage.

Exercise

Try to exercise regularly. Your hearing is linked to your overall health. Exercise can help to improve your health, and your hearing as a result, so make sure that you’re staying in shape. You don’t need to join a gym or lose weight, but ensuring you are active throughout the day will go a long way in regards to your health.

Stress

Make sure that you’ve got a healthy stress level. The stress hormone, cortisol, can damage your ears. So, you want to avoid high levels of stress and make sure that you’re managing it well. You can do this by meditating, walking, reading, or doing anything that keeps you calm. If you find your stress levels rising, take a step back and breathe. This sounds like a small task, but it will help you.

Sleep

Get plenty of sleep. This can help to protect your ears. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. This will help to give you more energy, affecting all areas of your health and life positively, which will in turn help to protect your hearing.

Finally, consider getting hearing aids if you do notice a reduction in your hearing. You may be able to avoid hearing aids, but you don’t want to avoid them if it will negatively impact your health. If you have hearing loss, you should seek the help of professionals to find out what type of hearing aids you need, and how to use them. It’s important to get the right hearing aids for your ears, as every individual is different. The right hearing aids can help you get the most out of your hearing. You want to make sure the hearing aids fit properly, and that you’re comfortable wearing them. You want to ensure you’re using them properly, and you want to make sure the hearing aids are actually working.

If you have hearing loss, don’t overlook your hearing aids. They could be an essential part of your daily life. You want to do everything you can to protect your hearing. You want to avoid things that damage your ears, like loud noises, and you want to take care of your ears by eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping well.

If you’re concerned about your hearing, it’s best to get it checked out. You can get a hearing test from a professional, and they can help you determine what sort of hearing loss you have, and what you can do to protect it.