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You have most likely suffered from some degree of hearing loss in your life. The Center for Disease Control reports that one in four adults in the United States have some degree of hearing loss. Loud noises are part of life but there are multiple things that you can do to protect your hearing. These little changes can add up over time and allow you to maintain your hearing well into your old age.
Address the Issue Directly
The first, and often hardest, step in protecting your hearing is addressing the issue. There is no shame in admitting that you may suffer from hearing loss. In fact, you will likely not take steps to protect your hearing health until you admit your hearing loss.
Identify the Damaging Factors in Your Life
Noise induced hearing loss is often caused by lifestyle. Where you work and what you do for fun can put you in a situation in which your hearing is consistently under attack.
Occupational
Consistent, loud, noises can take their toll on your hearing. Factories, warehouses, or any job in which you are around consistent noise can cause long term damage.
Home
You may not realize, but the noise from vacuum cleaners, power tools, and lawn mowers can cause long term hearing loss. Consistent exposure will cause a degree of hearing loss.
Recreation
Many recreational activities can cause hearing damage. The noise from motorcycles, concerts, and other recreational activities are often loud enough to cause temporary hearing loss which can lead to more permanent hearing loss.
How to Protect Your Hearing
Educate Yourself
An important step toward protecting your hearing is to learn about hearing loss and its effects. Knowing what causes hearing loss can help you to identify your personal risk factors and act to protect yourself.
Hearing Protection
Fortunately, there are ways to protect your hearing without quitting your job or everything that you like to do. Ear plugs or other protection can significantly reduce noise induced hearing damage. Make the conscious choice to consider the ‘hearing hazards’ in every environment and make arrangements to have protection when you need it.
Consult an Audiologist
Audiologists are doctors that specialize in hearing health. Our knowledge and expertise allow us to understand the mechanisms of hearing, what can go wrong, and how to treat the problems. We can evaluate your hearing and help you to create a plan to protect your hearing from the everyday hazards that life presents.
If you are ready to take your hearing health seriously and make a plan to reduce your hearing loss, contact us at Cornerstone Audiology. We are dedicated to helping our patients protect their hearing and maintain a high quality of life.
