Protect Your Hearing

We live in a noisy world. There's traffic, airplanes roaring overhead, our favorite music blasting from the stero, the construction site across the street that rattles your teeth, and even noise in your work place.

Sooner or later, the din starts to take a toll. You might not realize it, but all the noise that surrounds you could be quietly stealing your hearing. Many people believe that hearing loss is normal with age, but it's usually a direct result of the noise exposure you've had during your life.

If you take steps to protect your hearing now, you'll be able to enjoy the sounds around you later.

Here are a few tips that can help you preserve your precious sense of hearing…

First, be sensible. If you're going into a situation where you know it will be loud—a concert, for example—wear earplugs. You'll still be able to hear the show, but the ear-splitting tones will be toned down. And that means your ears won't suffer the same level of damage.

Next, don't blast your music through headphones. This may seem like common sense, but a lot of people damage their ears listening to their favorite music on their mp3 player. Turn the volume down a little bit.

Then, assess the noise levels you're exposed to at work. If you have a high-noise job like working on factory floor, then your hearing is in danger. Find out if your company offers a hearing protection program, and then participate in it.

Finally, go in for a hearing screening every few years. This will help you catch any changes in your hearing early on, and that means you can take further precautions to protect your ears. If needed, you can also be fitted for assistive hearing devices. Doing this earlier makes the transition much easier… if you wait too long, you basically have to relearn how to hear, and that's tough. Plenty of devices are available that are nearly invisible, so there's no need to be embarrassed, and you'll be able to avoid asking people to repeat themselves.

You're hearing is so important to your quality of life. Start taking steps now to keep in top form later.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell