Tips to Keep Your Hearing Young

As we age, our ears undergo wear and tear, slowly hindering our ability to hear. Fortunately, this process can be mitigated with proactive measures, keeping your hearing young.

In this article, our experts at El Dorado Hearing are breaking down some of the most simple and effective strategies to preserve your hearing ability, from keeping your TV volume low to getting the right nutrients.

Understanding the Link Between Age and Hearing Loss

To comprehend why these strategies work, it’s important to understand why our hearing declines with age. Age-related hearing loss, medically called presbycusis, can stem from a variety of factors. 

Presbycusis is typically caused by damage or changes in your inner ear, particularly the cochlea. However, other factors, like your diet, medical conditions, or even certain medications, can contribute to age-related hearing loss. 

While you can’t control the natural changes in your ear structure, implementing proactive hearing conservation strategies can help you avoid additional deterioration to your hearing.

Implementing 6 Tips to Keep Your Hearing Young

In a world surrounded by sounds, hazardous noise levels often go unchecked. Because of this, hearing loss continues to become more prevalent each day. Fortunately, by employing the following measures, you can avoid these hazards and minimize your risk of hearing loss:

Schedule Regular Hearing Examinations

To establish a baseline for your hearing ability, shedule an initial hearing assessment. This evaluation allows you to determine the necessary steps to preserve your hearing based on your current situation. After this, schedule an annual or biennial hearing check up. Regular examinations can identify subtle changes in hearing that might not be noticeable in day-to-day life, enabling early management strategies that can halt or slow down the progression of hearing loss.

Limit Your Device’s Volume 

Oftentimes, when watching your favorite show or listening to a new song, you might find yourself turning the volume up higher than necessary. This continuous exposure slowly damages the delicate structures in your ear, resulting in hearing loss. By implementing volume limits or warnings, you can ensure that you aren’t damaging your ears while streaming. If you’re listening on-the-go, opt for headphones or noise-cancelling earbuds to minimize the need for higher volumes. 

Use Hearing Protection When Necessary

In environments where noise levels can be harmful, opt for earplugs or earmuffs to reduce the level of sound entering your ears. This is especially important for individuals who spend long periods of time in loud environments, like factory workers or construction workers. If you live a busy and unpredictable life, carrying disposable earplugs for unexpected noise exposure ensures you’re always prepared to safeguard your hearing. 

Avoid Long Durations in Noisy Environments

If the loud environment is unavoidable, it’s important to limit your exposure to the noise, even if you are wearing ear protection. Limiting time spent in loud settings can prevent hearing loss caused by the overexertion of the hair cells in the inner ear. If you can’t limit the total time spent, quiet breaks can still allow these cells to recover from temporary stress, reducing the risk of lasting damage. 

Don’t Insert Anything into Your Ears

Contrary to popular belief, you should never insert anything into your ear without professional assistance. At-home cleaning strategies, like cotton swabs and ear candling, can push earwax deeper into the ear, leading to blockages or damage to the structure of your ear. Instead, allow your ears to self-clean and use a damp cloth to clean your outer ear. If you experience discomfort, do not insert any foreign items, and get in touch with a healthcare professional if the issue persists.

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle & Diet

A healthy lifestyle and diet play a vital role in maintaining good hearing health. Regular physical activity and a balanced diet support circulatory health, providing the necessary blood flow for your auditory system to operate at its full potential. Avoiding smoking and maintaining good hygiene can also help prevent conditions that lead to hearing loss. By implementing healthy habits, your ears will receive the proper nutrients needed to keep your hearing young.

Getting Started with Your Hearing Preservation

In a world reliant on sound, hearing preservation is necessary to maintain communication and interact with the world around you. By employing the six tips above, you can take proactive steps toward avoiding damage and promoting healthy ear function.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a decline in their hearing ability, it’s important to get a professional evaluation as soon as possible. Timely intervention allows you to optimize your treatment and protect your hearing from future deterioration. 

Our experts at El Dorado Hearing have years of experience helping people maintain and restore their hearing abilities. Give us a call at 702-857-8188 or take a quiz to learn more!