Preserve Your Hearing & Maintain Your Quality of Life
Hearing loss has reached epidemic proportions in modern life.
As many as 10 million Americans have already suffered irreversible hearing loss. And 30 million more Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day.
In a previous post, I outlined ways to tell if you’re at risk for noise induced hearing loss.
But if you’ve already suffered hearing loss (or want to avoid it’s effects) what can you do to preserve your hearing?
10 Simple Ways to Save Your Hearing
- Limit your exposure to noisy activities and loud environments.
- At home, turn down the volume on the television, radio, stereos and iPods.
- Wear ear plugs or muffs when using loud equipment like lawn mowers, power saws, or leaf blowers. Foam plugs are available at your pharmacy, and some music and hardware stores sell specialized ear protection.
- Buy quieter products (compare dB ratings – the smaller the better).
- Reduce the number of noisy appliances running at the same time in your personal environment.
- Avoid certain recreational activities, or at least wear hearing protection. Common activities associated with hearing loss include lighting fireworks, attending nightclubs and concerts, firing a gun and loud car stereos.
- Avoid medications that can cause hearing loss. Check warning labels, or consult your physician or audiologist.
- If you work in an at-risk occupation where you may be repeatedly exposed to loud sounds, check with your employer to see what can be done. There may be some protections which are mandated by the government under OSHA regulations.
- Educate yourself on the symptoms of hearing loss and listen to your own ears. If you suspect hearing loss, have your hearing checked by an audiologist.
- Investigate the various types of assistive listening devices that address some of the more common forms of hearing loss.
Assistive Listening Devices Enhance Everyday Life
AudioLink offers a number of assistive listening devices to address some of the more common forms of hearing loss.
Assistive listening devices (or ALDs) include personal amplifiers and TV listening systems that boost sound to a comfortable level for the listener, as well as devices such as door signalers or telephone amplifiers.
Call AudioLink at 407-757-3326 or email us for a free consultation on assistive listening devices that can enhance your life in the face of mild hearing loss.
