It’s been ingrained in us to visit a dentist or eye doctor regularly to maintain the health of our bodies, but less emphasis tends to be placed on the health of our hearing. No matter your age or general health, a visit to a hearing healthcare provider can keep you aware of any changes in your hearing and will uncover potential concerns before they become a problem.

Aside from regular care, there are other steps you can take on a daily basis to maintain healthy hearing and to prevent hearing loss. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Evaluate your workplace noise – Do you work in a loud environment and often go without hearing protection? Whether you’re around high decibel machinery that drones on all day or loud sporadic noises, it might be worth it to explore custom hearing protection that’s designed for your specific needs. Whether it’s a set of molded earplugs or earmuffs, your long term hearing will be better preserved with daily protection.

• Think about your household’s volume – Many people don’t realize that simple chores like running a lawnmower or blowing snow from your yard can create hearing damage over a prolonged period of time. Our ears are a lot more sensitive than most realize, and these loud pieces of equipment should be operated with hearing protection.

• Assess what your hobbies sound like – If you love going to see live music yet never use earplugs, you might be surprised to find out that you’re doing damage to the inner structures of your ears at every gig you attend. Other fun activities like hunting, recreational shooting, or even seeing a NASCAR race all bring noises well above recommended decibel levels. Custom hearing products can be manufactured that protect your ears without having to sacrifice the clarity of your activity.

Signs To Look Out For

Sometimes we don’t realize just how loud a noise truly is, and damage can be done before we know it. After being in a noisy environment for a prolonged period of time, check in to see if any of the following are true:

• Your hearing sounds muffled. You can understand normal speech but things seem slightly more quiet than usual.

• There’s a buzzing or ringing sound that wasn’t previously present. This sound might only be present at certain times or could be ongoing.

• A full or clogged feeling is present in your ears and takes some time dissipate.

When To See A Professional

While it’s a good habit to visit a hearing healthcare professional on a regular basis anyway, any of the above symptoms might indicate you’ve experienced hearing loss. With thorough testing procedures, your doctor will be able to evaluate if there’s been any damage and can make recommendations to prevent further implications.

As in most health situations, prevention is your best bet, as attempting to correct hearing loss can be more time consuming and expensive than it would be to take simple preventative measures. If you’re concerned about the potential for hearing loss, visit our office today.