It sounds like an old wives’ tale, but hearing loss actually attacks the body as well as the mind. When you hear noise loud enough to damage your auditory system, your eustachian tube—a small passage connecting the middle ear and nose—shuts off, according to NHHearingInstitute.com. This dampens the vibrations in your inner ear that help you maintain balance and pitch. If you don’t take care of it, permanent hearing loss can set in over time. By age 40, a third of people have some degree of hearing loss. In their 60s, one out of five people has measurable hearing loss. But it doesn’t have to be this way! You can take action today to protect your hearing at every age.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss is a condition in which the ability to hear is reduced. You can lose hearing in one or both ears. It’s common in people as they get older, but it can also happen when you’re young. At first, hearing loss is subtle. You might not notice it at all, or it might be only slightly less loud than before. But as the damage increases, you can get to the point where you have trouble hearing conversations, understand the phone when it rings, and missing important cues like the doorbell or microwave timer. The good news is that hearing loss is very treatable. There are many things you can do to protect your hearing at every age.
How to care for your hearing at every age
You don’t have to lose your hearing as you age. Use these tips to protect your hearing at every age.
- Protect your hearing at younger ages. Hearing loss is more likely to happen in your 20s and 30s, but it can happen at any age.
- Preventing hearing loss at an early age is essential because it’s easier to treat. But preventing hearing loss at a younger age also provides more opportunities to take preventative action. Earwax buildup, for example, happens in people as young as 10. At that age, it’s easily prevented by using a mild over-the-counter cleanser. Preventing hearing loss at a younger age also means you get extra time to plan for the inevitable changes that come with getting older.
- Take care of your ears. The ears are extremely vulnerable to damage from loud noises, so protect them by avoiding unnecessary prolonged exposure to loud sounds.
- Don’t ignore your doctor. If you have any pain, pressure, or discharge in your ears, see a doctor that specialized in hearing aid and audiology. Ear infections are very common, and if you don’t take care of an infection, it can become a more serious problem.
- Remember, you are never too old to protect your hearing. Even if you’ve had hearing loss in the past, it’s never too late to care for your hearing.
He’s got a hearing aid, so he can’t hear!
Many hearing aids need to be adjusted or turned off occasionally to preserve battery life. If someone you love wears a hearing aid, you’ve probably noticed that you can sometimes hear them, but they can’t hear you. This is because the hearing aid can block sound from your speech, but not sound from the world around them. Adjusting the volume on your phone or speaking louder helps you both. When you care for your hearing at every age, try to notice if a family member or friend is wearing a hearing aid. Even if they can’t hear you, they can still see you.
Wear ear protection at work and in the yard.
In loud environments like a concert or construction sites, ear protection keeps your ears from becoming damaged. Health departments and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recommend that you wear ear protection when working around loud machinery, using power tools, or operating dangerous equipment like a Dungeons & Dragons game. If you work with noise, protect your ears by wearing earplugs or earmuffs.
- Protect your ears at home, too. Keep the noise levels in your home below 85 decibels. That means television at about 50-60 decibels, and a conversation at about 70 decibels. Don’t forget the garage, basement, and other spaces where noise can build up.
- Protect your hearing at every age. If you have to wear ear protection, try to avoid prolonged exposure to loud noise. If you spend a lot of time near loud equipment, turn it down.
Keep noise levels below 85 decibels.
Loud sounds, like gunfire, should be at 90 decibels or lower. Anything louder than this is dangerous to your ears. You can test your own noise level with an app like IOS or Android’s Noise Meter. Don’t blast music or talk on a phone while you work or exercise. This is a great way to get your noise levels above 85 decibels. Our ears aren’t built to hear sounds above 85 decibels. Keep these levels in mind, and protect your hearing at every age. Aim to protect your ears while you’re working out or doing yard work or other activities where you’ll be exposed to noise.
Don’t wear headphones while exercising.
Ears are excellent sensors for hearing, but they don’t work well when the sounds are too loud. When you care for your hearing at every age, be sure to protect your ears when you exercise. When you work out, keep the noise levels below 85 decibels. This will prevent unnecessary damage to your ears. You can also try wearing earplugs designed especially for athletes. You’ll want to make sure to research the best brands before buying.
Conclusion
Protecting your hearing at every age doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many things you can do to protect your ears, from wearing earplugs to keeping the noise levels in your home and yard low. If you have to work around loud machinery, wear ear protection, and keep your noise levels below 85 decibels, you can protect your ears and maintain your hearing at every age.
