Oct 19

Oct 19 3 Ways to Protect your Hearing

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A couple weeks ago I went in for my 6 month check-in for my hearing and hearing aids. I honestly can’t believe it has already been that long since I got them! It feels like just yesterday I was getting fitted. Perhaps it is because so many life events occurred to me in the past 365 days, or it could just be that I have twins who are almost a year old, so I’m constantly seeing time fly before my very eyes. I’ve always been somewhat conscious of hearing because I’m lacking so much in that area; however, wearing hearing aids has seriously upped my game. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, so I thought I’d share a little bit about how and why you should guard this sense specifically.

Keep reading for three ways to protect your hearing this month and every month.

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Here are 3 ways to protect your hearing:

1) Don’t listen too loud. This is the simplest tactic to employ. I naturally keep my music and podcasts on loud due to my hearing loss; however, even that isn’t the best action to take and can even make my hearing worse. Start by turning your volume down just a couple notches lower, especially if you’re using headphones. This action wil set yourself up for success. A general rule of thumb is to be at or below 70 decibels (dBA). Any long or consistent sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.

2) Use hearing protection. We think about this for babies with the cute, earmuffs you’ll see on them when they are at a sporting event or a concert, but what about adults? All ears need some sort of care, so consider yours too! You can obviously turn things down or walk away, but what about those instances when you don’t have control over it? You might consider something like these noise reduction earplugs. There are some other options on the market, but Phonak’s model is superior. They sit deep enough in the ear, so the filter technology sits flush with the ear so the concha function of the ear is fully used. They are made of medical grade TPE and contains no plasticizers, so therefore can be worn for a long time without causing skin irritation. Phonak music acoustic filters are 100% tested, allow ventilation of the ear and provide a true flat attenuation. These are the same filters that are used in tens of thousands of custom molds and worn by musicians, audiophiles and music lovers alike. Wondering if something is too loud? There are noise apps that can help with that. Specifically, there is a noise app on Apple watches where you can choose a decibel level to be alerted at. I think you’ll know when something is too loud, but it is good to use to become aware about your sounds and surroundings! If you can’t do any of the above to get away, try taking breaks from the sound if you can and even that will help a little.

3) Get your hearing checked. You should do this as a part of your annual routine so you can be aware. Hearing health is linked to so many different things, whether it be disease prevention or general well-being. Your audiologist will help you understand where you are at and how you can better help yourself. Your brain actually begins to shrink when the hearing part goes inactive, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease. Even mild hearing loss doubles your dementia risk.

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I hope this post inspired you to have your hearing checked or at the very least to take care of what hearing you do have. I would also encourage you to get hearing aids if you need them! It has truly changed my social interactions and made conversations more enjoyable. Cheers to better health and hearing!