Your ear health may be one of the most important check-ups to have each year. But more and more often people are putting their hearing health on the back burner and failing to make hearing loss their top priority. Hearing problems can affect anyone no matter how old or young at heart you may be. Losing your hearing can occur as your start to age and is quite common if you are between the ages of 65 and 75 years old. According to the Mayo Clinic, one third have some degree of hearing loss.
You can suffer from one of three types of hearing issues
· Conductive
· Sensorineural
· Mixed
Conductive involves the outer of the middle ear and Sensorineural takes part in the inner ear. Mixed is a combination of the two. Again, there are multiple factors that can contribute to hearing loss such as being exposed to loud noises like at a concert which can rupture your eardrum, excessive earwax which can block the ear canal and prevent the conduction of sound waves, and aging can all reduce how well you hear and interpret sounds. Sadly, most hearing loss is irreversible but you can always speak with a hearing specialist to see what can be done to improve your quality of life.
What Symptoms to Look For
If you feel that your ears have been struggling to keep up or hear correctly there are some signs that you could look out for. When talking to others if you hear most of the conversation as muffled white noise, this could be a potential sign since you are missing most of the talking.
Also, if you have started to notice that you have difficulty understanding words particularly when in a crowd. You may also be asking people to repeat themselves more frequently than normal. You may notice, notably in older patients that they have started to have the TV extremely loud. If you noticed a loved one who used to be a social butterfly but has now withdrawn from most conversations this is a major alert that something is wrong.
A great way to get ahead of any potential hearing loss is to search “hearing centers near me.” Hearing Health USA is an audiologist company that specializes in hearing aids, hearing tests, pediatrics, and tinnitus treatments nation-wide. They have a nifty tool that can help you locate a hearing center closest to you. You may be told you need hearing aids if your loss is significant. Nowadays there a technologically advanced hearing aids that one can wear without anyone noticing. There are even rechargeable hearing aids that can last for hours. Most fit discreetly within the ear so only you know you are wearing them.
Preventative Measures
There are some preventative measures one can take to counteract noise-induced hearing loss. Try to always keep your ears protected by limiting the duration and how loudly you are exposed to noise. Earplugs are a great tool to use as earmuffs against noise-related damages. Make sure you are having your hearing tested once a year just like you would have a physical exam to make sure everything is in tip-top shape. If you are younger try as much as you can to avoid recreational risks like hunting and power tools. Always wear hearing protectors and make sure to take breaks in between to give your ear’s a rest.
If you are at all concerned about the process the testing is easy and painless. By speaking with your healthcare professional and taking your hearing care seriously you will be able to get back to your best hearing soon.
