Have you recently turned down invites to parties only because you struggle to be a part of your friend’s conversation due to the noise around? Do you feel awkward when you don’t get a word in, or feel embarrassed to ask people to repeat whatever they said? If these situations sound familiar, it is time you get your hearing checked as these could be symptoms of hearing loss.
You don’t have to be embarrassed. Most of us tend to take our hearing abilities for granted. It is only when hearing loss starts making things difficult, that you start appreciating the pleasure of simple conversations. Taking care of your hearing health is as important as keeping fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Getting a routine health check is the first step.
Taking care of your overall hearing health includes understanding the intensity of noise you’re exposed to. Avoiding loud noises and prolonged exposure to loud sounds may keep you from developing hearing problems in future. Most cases of hearing loss are caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear which could have occurred due to too much exposure to loud noise. This type of hearing loss can be permanent.
It is important to take precautionary measures to avoid noise-related damage. And the first step towards this is to avoid loud noise. The louder the sound, the less safe it is. Simply because a sound isn’t bothering you, doesn’t mean it is safe. Exposure to loud environments over a long time or very loud sounds even for short periods of time can cause physical damage to the ear making it difficult to perceive or understand sounds. If you’re facing hearing issues, then hearing aids and other technologies can help restore your hearing. Cochlear India has recently launched a wireless range of accessories for Cochlear Implants. Click here to learn more.
Here are some ways in to protect and preserve good hearing before hearing loss becomes an issue:
- Analyze the intensity of sound in your environment and avoid loud noises.
- Learn more about ear protection. There are many products available in the market today, from ear plugs, ear molds, ear muffs and many more.
- When listening to live music or rock shows, wear ear plugs if possible.
- Maintain distance between you and loud noise (or the object in question) to lower the intensity. Whenever possible, stand at an angle, do not directly face the sound/noise.
- Avoid listening to your personal music player at high volumes. If need be, listen to your music at half the maximum volume of your player or at a level where you can still hear surrounding noise, for not more than a couple of hours. Take a break every hour or so to give your ears a rest.
- Try and take ample breaks when you are exposed to loud noise by moving away.
- Listening to loud music in a car for too long can damage your ears. Confined space increases the risk of hearing damage.
- Know the symptoms of hearing loss, and have your hearing evaluated by a professional.
If you are facing issues with hearing, take steps to correct it. For any permanent damage, seek the input of a hearing professional to provide a solution for effective communication.
1 comment
New to this site. Read the post. really informative. Thanks for sharing