Practical Tips for Protecting Your Hearing

While certain types of hearing loss are genetic and unavoidable, we see many patients who have hearing loss due to lifestyle factors that damaged their ears. The truth is that a large percentage of the population will develop some level of hearing loss, often in the later years of life. But there are things that you can do at all ages to protect your ears and reduce the risk of losing your hearing.

If you are in an environment where your hearing can be damaged, then it’s essential to take proactive steps as soon as possible. The longer you are exposed to loud noise and the intensity of the noise can influence the severity of hearing loss that develops.

These loud noises cause damage to the membranes and cells within the ear. The hair cells are small and delicate, and they can die if they are overworked in noisy environments.

Tips for Reducing the Risk of Hearing Loss

Here are a few basic tips to protect your ears and reduce the risk of hearing loss:

• Turn Down the Volume: Whether you are watching television or listening to music, don’t turn the volume too high. This is especially important when wearing headphones because the source of sound is so close to your ears.
• Stay Away from Loud Environments: Don’t linger when you find yourself in a loud environment. Minimizing the time that you stay can help to prevent hearing loss. Examples include concerts, loud machinery, sporting events, or any other louder-than-normal environments.
• Use Hearing Protection: Some loud environments are unavoidable. For example, you might be exposed to loud noises all day long at work. In this situation, it’s important to use highly-rated hearing protection.
• Take a Break: If you need to be around loud noises, then set a timer so you are taking regular breaks. For example, when using loud machinery, it’s important to step away to allow your ears to have some time without the loud noises.
• Protect Your Ear Canal: Never put small objects into your ear, even if you are trying to scratch or clean the ear. Objects such as cotton swabs, bobby pins, paperclips, or other small items can damage your ears – which can have a negative impact on your hearing.
• Schedule Regular Hearing Tests: If you notice a change in your hearing, then it’s important to schedule a hearing test without delay. Early detection is essential because sometimes it’s possible to stop the progress of hearing loss with the right treatments (depending on the cause of hearing loss).

Examples: Ways to Protect Your Hearing

In the section above, we listed the strategies you can use to avoid hearing loss. Here are some examples of putting these strategies into action – actual steps you can take to protect your hearing:

• Decrease the volume when you turn on the TV or music.
• Set a timer when listening to music with headphones to decrease your exposure.
• Watch for posted warning signs indicating that hearing protection is needed.
• Choose a profession that doesn’t require you to be around loud noises every day.
• Buy quieter machinery when possible. Look for power tools, recreational vehicles, and other machinery rated as “quiet.”
• Keep machinery well-maintained. Tightening loose parts and lubricating the moving parts can decrease the noise and reduce wear-and-tear on the machine at the same time.
• Buy earplugs and/or earmuffs and keep them with you when in loud environments. Make sure the hearing protection you choose is rated for the type of environment you will be in. You can also find earplugs designed for concerts – allowing you to still enjoy the show without damaging your hearing.
• Protect your children by avoiding loud music or sounds at home.
• If you are in a public space with loud noises, then stay as far away as possible from the source that is producing the noise. For example, step away from the loudspeakers, music speakers, or cannons at sporting events.
• Reduce the length of time that you are spending in these loud environments. For example, consider skipping the pre-concert performers and only showing up for the main musician or band.

Choosing Quality Hearing Protection

When you are shopping for earplugs, look for product information that indicates the noise reduction ratings. Devices that are sold for hearing protection must be rated for the level of protection they offer. You will be able to find this information on the packaging or device.

These ratings are measured in decibels (dB). Most products you find are rated between 0 – 35 dB. Keep in mind that the rating is a “best case” scenario, based on the measurements determined in a laboratory setting. The actual protection you can get in real-world environments might be less than the product rating.

If the effectiveness of your hearing protection is in question, then contact our team for personalized recommendations. We can do a “fit testing” of your current hearing protection devices. We can also offer recommendations about the ideal products for the type of environment you will be in.

Also, consider the comfort and convenience of your hearing protection. If you are exposed to noise, then you want to make sure that you are comfortable wearing the earmuffs or earplugs for extended periods of time.

Remember: Most Hearing Loss is Irreversible

Taking a proactive approach to protect your hearing is critical. If damage occurs to your ears and results in hearing loss, then it is often irreversible. So, you need to avoid the damage in the first place.

Call the Hearing Experts

What questions do you have about protecting your hearing? Do you think that you might be suffering from hearing loss? Then, it is time to reach out to our professional team for more information. We offer hearing tests, hearing aids, and full-service solutions to optimize your hearing and ear wellness.

Contact our office any time to learn about available services or schedule an appointment. Fairfax Hearing Center is a family-focused clinic offering services for people of all ages.