Everyone’s hearing gets worse as they get older, but for some, the impact is more profound.
If you’ve noticed yourself asking people to repeat things a little more often than you used to, or you struggle to hear the TV or radio, then improving your hearing health should be something to focus on.
Here are three things you can do today to take the first steps.
Avoid loud noises
It may seem obvious, but as we struggle to hear more, we tend to turn things up to compensate. This of course, leads to further damage to our hearing, creating a vicious circle.
Where possible, avoid loud environments, including televisions. The number one reason for hearing loss in the first place is excessive noise in our youth.
If you can’t avoid loud noise, then protect your ears. This is especially important for children who can’t protect themselves.
Firework displays might look pretty, but it doesn’t take much to damage a young set of lugs.
Keep a healthy lifestyle
As we get older, it’s important to keep active. Keep the blood pumping to our organs and muscles helps keep them functioning properly, and our ears are no different.
If you smoke, stop! Smoking is related to hearing loss. In fact, smokers are 28% more likely to develop hearing loss than non-smokers. Again, this comes down to blood flow. Smoking tightens and hardens your blood vessels, depriving your inner ear of the oxygen it needs to function properly.
Regardless of your hearing, you should be exercising regularly anyway!
Wear your hearing aids
It may be the case that you’re reading this because you want to improve your hearing and avoid wearing a hearing aid.
The truth is, if you’ve been given a hearing aid to wear, then you should. Not wearing it will only damage your hearing further.
The amplification of a hearing aid boosts the part of your brain that deals with sound, giving it a “workout”. If you stop working it out, like any other muscle, it will atrophy and eventually stop working.
If hearing loss is left untreated, then it’s only going to get worse. If a health professional has proscribed you a hearing aid, wear it!
Hearing issues affect everyone
If you’re experiencing hearing loss for the first time, we understand it can be scary.
If you feel like you are having a hard time coping, or you are suffering from anxiety or depression, then please don’t despair.
There are people who want to help, organisations like Sign Health and Deaf4Deaf are fantastic services that offer mental health support and tips for deaf people and those recently diagnosed with hearing loss.
