Many of us are guilty of taking our hearing for granted. It’s not until we find ourselves reaching for the volume dial that we recognize the importance of protecting our hearing. If you’re worried about your hearing, or you’re keen to take steps to prevent issues in the future, here are some tips to take on board.
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Using ear protection
If you have a job that involves being exposed to loud noises, or you commute to work on busy trains or subway services, it’s crucial to protect your ears. Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise can damage the fragile structures found within the inner ear, increasing the risk of hearing loss. If you are traveling on a train every day, or you walk to work in the middle of the city surrounded by traffic and construction noise, it’s wise to invest in some earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. If your job carries occupational health risks, you should be provided with protective equipment. Examples include manufacturing, construction, engineering and working in music production or events.
Arranging hearing tests
Ideally, adults should go for a hearing test every 1-5 years, depending on their age and whether they have any signs or symptoms of hearing loss. If you find yourself asking friends or colleagues to repeat themselves, you struggle to keep track in conversations or meetings, or you’ve started turning the volume on the TV or the radio up, it’s a good idea to book a hearing examination. Hearing loss usually occurs gradually, and it’s best to intervene early. There are treatment options for both temporary and long-term causes of hearing loss, including rechargeable hearing aids. Modern hearing aids are small and discreet and you can even link them to your smartphone. If you’ve haven’t had your hearing tested in a while, why not pick up the phone and make an appointment today?
Turn the volume down
Many of us enjoy listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts when we travel or make our way to work. If you are tuned into the radio or you’ve got a playlist on, take care to ensure that the volume is at a suitable level. If other people in the train carriage can hear noises coming from your headphones, the level is too high. If you listen to music too loud, this will damage your ears and elevate the risk of hearing loss and tinnitus. Extended or repeated exposure to noise levels about 85 decibels can put you at risk. This equates to the noise produced by a vacuum cleaner or a lawnmower, for example.
Most of us listen to music or birdsong without even thinking that one day, we might not be able to appreciate these sounds. To protect your hearing and reduce the risk of hearing loss, it’s never too early to start adopting preventative measures. Book regular hearing tests, seek advice if you notice any changes in your hearing, use ear protection to eliminate exposure to loud noises and turn the volume down if you’re listening to music.
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