Hearing loss can be a gradual thing that catches us unaware until someone points out the problem to us. Then we are often still in denial for a while. Then, we realize how badly the hearing is impacting our quality of life and seek help. Ohio residents can get help for hearing loss prevention. Audiologists can help people prevent hearing loss or help regain hearing.
How Can Hearing Loss Happen?
Hearing loss has several causes including:
- Loud noise can cause hearing loss by damaging the tiny hairs in the cochlea of the inner ear. Loud noise in the workplace, music concerts, motor races, loud radios, lawnmowers, and power tools are capable of causing hearing loss.
- Some medications or chemicals can cause hearing loss.
- There are diseases that can cause hearing loss. These include measles, rubella, mumps, and meningitis.
- An injury such as a fractured skull, perforation of the eardrum, or large changes in air pressure can cause hearing loss.
Getting Help For Hearing Loss
A person can get help from Hearing Health Solutions in Ohio. Getting help will allow a person to enjoy conversations once again, hear co-workers better when working on projects, have phone conversations again, and enjoy TV and radio once more without turning the volume way up. The well-trained audiologists can test a person’s hearing with comprehensive tests that will show the type and extent of hearing loss.
Then, the hearing experts find the correct hearing solutions for each person. This might involve choosing a hearing aid, a hearing assistive device, or a hearing amplification device. Choosing the correct type of device can ensure the best hearing aid experience. They may help a person use a hearing loss prevention program.
Treatments for hearing loss include:
- Removal of built-up ear wax
- Hearing aids
- Surgery
- Cochlear implants
- Treating an underlying health problem.
There Are 6 Ways to Protect Your Ears and Hearing
Since our ears are changing over time and experiences, it is important to have regular checkups and take other precautions. Here are 6 ways:
- Get regular hearing screenings along with that annual health exam. The doctor might ask three or four questions about your hearing. A more comprehensive hearing screening should happen every five years for people 50 and older. Then at age 65, the screenings should take place every one to three years.
- For those already wearing hearing aids, the device should be checked every year and daily maintenance is important. Hearing aids may need to be replaced every five to seven years.
- Learn the signs of tinnitus and vertigo. These conditions are age-related and not curable. But, they can be treated to lessen the severity.
- Learn about medications and comorbidities that cause hearing loss. Chronic conditions such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease can cause hearing loss if not treated. There are also medications that can cause hearing loss either short or long-term. Ask about this when doctors prescribe medications.
- Check the ears for wax build-up periodically and have a doctor remove wax build-up that may be impacting hearing. Don’t insert anything in the ear to try to clean the ear wax out.
- Make a practice of wearing ear protection when near loud noise or during noisy activities. Start using ear protection before there is any ear damage. It is never too soon to protect your hearing. Disposable foam earplugs are cheap and effective.
It is also advisable to not smoke since smoking can irritate and block the ear’s Eustachian tubes, manage your stress levels, stay physically active, and keep the ears dry. If we take these simple steps to protect our hearing, we will keep our hearing better for longer.
