Hearing is one of the senses many people take for granted, and the thought of losing it doesn’t even cross their minds. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, around 15% of all Americans over 18 reports some form of hearing loss.
Unlike other medical conditions, finding the root cause of hearing loss is fairly simple. In most cases, it’s caused too many loud sounds, which are part and parcel of modern living. Safeguarding your hearing is important, especially if you don’t want to lose it during your senior years.
The human body is similar to a car, in that it requires regular check-ups to ensure everything is working properly. Having your ears tested regularly is a great way to catch any potential issues before they become serious or permanent. If you haven’t got a regular audiologist, you can easily find a nearby professional by visiting https://www.phonak.com/en-us/find-a-provider.
Buy Earplugs
According to the CDC, being exposed to sounds over 70dB for too long can start to damage your hearing. To help put this into perspective, sounds including washing machines, 65mph cars, and vacuum cleaners are all 70dB. Therefore, if you know you’ll be exposed to this level of sound or more for an extended period, consider investing in earplugs.
There are so many different types of earplugs ranging from foam earplugs to silicone. Each one blocks out a different level of sound, so you’ll need to do some trial and error to find the right ones for you.
Monitor Blood Sugar Levels
Research conducted by Whipps Cross Hospital found that people with diabetes are much more likely to face problems with hearing. When the blood sugars reach a certain point, they start to cause damage to the tiny blood vessels and nerves inside the ears – and the rest of the body. Therefore, if you’ve got diabetes, it’s even more important to keep your blood sugars at a healthy level. If you haven’t got diabetes, you should know that anyone can get diabetes, which is often caused by being overweight.
Start Exercising
Exercise is proven to have a positive impact on the body’s overall health, and it can even prevent hearing loss. By getting the blood pumping, every cell in your body will get a rush, which includes the tiny hairs inside your ear. However, even though music can be motivating when exercising, remember to keep the volume at the recommended level.
Turn the Music Down
Many people use headphones to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and phone conversations. However, the majority of people have turned up too loud. If you have your volume on full blast, your hearing will start to deteriorate after just five minutes.
If you use a smartphone, you can set them to cap the volume at the recommended level, which will prevent you from harm. Additionally, if you ever need to exceed this volume, you can set the recommended volume to kick in after a certain amount of time.
Check Existing Medications
If you’re on medication for anything, whether it’s for your ears or not, you’ll know that there’s a list of potential side effects. In some cases, non-prescription and prescription medications can harm your hearing. For example, large doses of antibiotics, antimalarials, and aspirins will all have an impact.
To rule out any potential dangers with your existing medication, check the user guide. As well as this, you can contact your medical provider and ask for advice. If loss of hearing is listed as a side effect, you may be able to find an alternative.
Quieter Seats at Noisy Events
When you attend concerts or other loud social gatherings, you’re supposed to have a great time. However, if you’re sitting in a loud spot for a long time, you’ll start to damage your hearing. Therefore, when you’re finding a table or booking seats, try and avoid being positioned right next to the speakers. As a preventative measure, take your earplugs with you just in case.
Reduce Earwax Blockages
Earwax isn’t exactly pleasant, but hearing loss is sometimes caused by an excessive build-up. Therefore, you should have your doctor check your ear canal for blockages. If they find an issue, they have special equipment that will clear it out.
If your ears are blocked with earwax, it’s essential to avoid using cotton buds to “clean” them out. Even though you’ll collect some of the earwax, you can push the cotton bud too far into the ear and damage the ear drum.
Boost Folic Acid Intake
A Dutch research team examined 728 men and women to compare how levels of folic acid impacted hearing loss. Within 3 years, those that had more than 8mcg of folic acid had fewer complaints when it came to their hearing loss. There are many ways to boost folic acid by eating the following:
- Spinach
- Fortified cereals
- Wholegrain bread
- Split-pea soup
Enjoy a Calming Glass of Wine
Binge-drinking any type of wine can lead to serious health issues, including hearing loss. However, enjoying the occasional glass of red wine has been proven to reduce and prevent hearing loss, according to a study conducted in the UK. The reason red wine is so effective is that it’s packed full of tannins and antioxidants.
Introduce Pumpkin Seeds to Your Diet
Scientific research has found that low levels of magnesium can cause stress to ear cells. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough. A great way to do this is by introducing pumpkin seeds into your diet. You can enjoy them as a light snack, put them in pies, or add them to a nutrient-rich smoothie.
The ability to hear is one of the most important ingredients for having a fantastic quality of life, which is why you need to make an effort to safeguard it. If you can follow the methods outlined above, you’re much less likely to suffer from hearing issues.
