3 Small Ways You Can Stop Your Hearing Loss From Getting Worse

Every New Year’s Eve, people worldwide make resolutions to make their next year a little bit better. Many resolve to exercise more, watch less TV, or take more vacations, focusing on their mental and physical health. However, resolutions involving hearing health are often overlooked, despite the fact that hearing ability is directly related to both emotional and mental well-being.

3 Simple But Effective New Year’s Hearing Loss Resolutions

This year, why not consider making a few small changes to protect your hearing for years to come? You may already be well on your way if you resolved to be more fit: exercise increases blood flow to the ears and reduces hearing loss risk, while lowering stress can ease tinnitus symptoms. You can take three more steps to stop your hearing loss from getting worse—and best of all, they can all be done in 60 seconds or less:

Turn it Down

Millions of Americans suffer from noise-induced hearing loss, an entirely preventable form of hearing damage.  It only takes a moment to turn down a loud television, put on ear protection, and give your ears a break from consistent high levels of noise. Very loud noises can cause hearing damage in just a few minutes, while lower levels can cause damage in a matter of hours. This year, plan to protect your ears by:

1. Wearing hearing protection when you mow the lawn, use power tools, or are exposed to loud noises
2. Take breaks each hour during rock concerts or loud events to give your ears a rest
3. Make sure your children wear hearing protection (they are especially likely to suffer damage)
4. Install a volume lock on your personal music player to avoid turning it up too loud

Wear Your Hearing Aids

You may have already been diagnosed with hearing loss and have received hearing aids to treat the condition. Here’s the big question: do you wear them every day? Many patients go through the hearing restoration process only to avoid wearing their devices as instructed, allowing their conditions to go untreated and their hearing to deteriorate more quickly.

When you neglect to put in your hearing aids, your brain cannot receive and process sounds. The hearing centers in the brain have nothing to do, so they begin to shut down. As the auditory region of the brain begins to atrophy, cognitive function in the brain begins to break, opening the patient up to early dementia.

Patients who do not wear their hearing aids are also more likely to suffer physical and emotional problems. The stress of being unable to hear can be frustrating and physically draining, making patients less active and more prone to injury. Patients also suffer depression, anxiety, and social isolation as a result of untreated hearing loss. In a very real sense, wearing your hearing aids can improve nearly every facet of your life.

Schedule a Hearing Test

The fastest way to ensure your best possible hearing is to follow up regularly with your hearing healthcare professional. Yearly hearing evaluations, audiograms, and reflex tests can measure the changes in your hearing over the years, and can prevent conditions from getting worse. If you have never had a hearing evaluation, you should schedule your first visit today! Call us at 866-517-4415 to make a hearing testing appointment at one of our Florida offices near you and take control of your hearing health.