Hearing health is something that many should be taking more seriously, and it’s a part of your health that can be difficult to gauge, as it’s not something that’s easy to monitor. You won’t always know if your hearing is damaged, as it can show very gradually – something that others might notice before you do. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the harder types of hearing loss to avoid, as while you might feel used to certain volumes, your ears will not.
Noise-induced hearing loss is a type of hearing loss that is caused by too much exposure to loud noises, which have caused damage to the hair cells in your inner ear. This type of hearing loss is permanent, as those cells will not heal or grow back, so you should be sure to take extra care when around loud noise.
Wear Ear Protection
If you find yourself working in loud environments or having to deal with things like power tools and such, you should be sure to keep yourself protected. There are plenty of tools that we use on a daily basis that can cause damage to your hearing, like a lawn mower, a hammer, some vehicles and other gardening equipment. Whenever you’re operating these tools, you should make sure you’ve got some ear protection ready – even if you feel like your ears can handle it! It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Avoid Loud Environments
If possible, you should make sure that you’re not going out of your way to being around loud noises that you could avoid. Stay away from speakers in noisy clubs and stay away from any machinery that you don’t have to operate or be nearby. Even if you’re not near it for long, exposure to very loud noises can do lasting damage to your ears, and that’s not something that you can take back. If it’s unavoidable, make sure you’ve got some form of ear protection with you.
Turn Down Your Music
Enjoying music is a daily thing for most people, and while it might feel like you’re getting more from it by turning it up, keep your hearing health in mind. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with loud music, but you have to know your limits. If you’re wearing your headphones and your turn it up to full volume, you should be aware that it can be very damaging. Some headphones that produce low-quality sounds can also damage your hearing if they ever emit sounds that they’re not supposed to.
Speak with an Audiologist
If you’re ever unsure about how your life impacts your hearing, you should consider speaking with an audiologist about it. You can find out more about your hearing health, as well as how you can do a better job of preventing noise-induced hearing loss. It’s not always easy to know if you’ve damaged your hearing or not, and it would be helpful to know how you can go about maintaining your hearing.
