Facts About Healthy Hearing

From the Starkey Hearing Foundation

The complexities of health care science often obscure simple facts that every person should know. This is definitely true in the realm of hearing health, where thousands are actively doing permanent damage to their hearing without even knowing it.

So, here are things everyone should know about hearing health:

-People today are losing their hearing two-and-a-half times faster than their parents or grandparents.
-It’s not just old people at risk of hearing problems. We are living longer so making smart listening choices while we’re young is more important than ever.

Choose listening devices wisely.

-Hearing problems can contribute to many health problems, including depression, hypertension and a diminished immune system.
-In most cases, hearing problems develop slowly and imperceptibly.
Only 16 percent of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss. Ask to be screened!
-Most hearing loss can be prevented by using a little bit of common sense.
-Start protecting your hearing now.
-Within a few years, estimates have the number of Americans experiencing hearing loss at more than 40 million.
-Avoid prolonged noise and even short bursts of very loud sound, both of which can damage your hearing.
-While hearing loss is not reversible, most age-related or noise-related loss can be managed.

Just as eyeglasses are used to correct most vision problems, hearing instruments are used to treat most kinds of hearing loss. Any treatment starts with a hearing screening by a doctor or hearing professional.

Preventative Steps to Protect Your Hearing or the Hearing of a Loved One

Anyone can protect their hearing by following a few, very easy steps to keep the sounds loud and clear!

-Avoid prolonged exposure to entertainment devices, such as MP3 players, televisions, stereos, etc.
-If you are in a noisy restaurant or environment and find yourself constantly asking “what?”, the noise level may be too loud.
-If you are wearing the popular “ear bud” headsets and the people around you can hear the music, it’s too loud.
-When using personal listening devices, check manufacturer’s data on how to set noise volume controls for your children.
-When attending concerts or loud sporting events, wear filtered ear plugs to control your personal noise level. Have your children wear ear protection, too!
-Wear hearing protection when doing lawn work or operating loud equipment such as chain saws, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, etc.
-Set an example for your children and discuss the reason for wearing hearing protection.
-Ask your doctor to screen your hearing annually, or visit a licensed audiologist or hearing specialist. Most of these tests are free!

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