No escape from noise
Noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. But noise is a part of everyday life: from television and stereos to automobiles, buses and trucks.
When an individual is exposed to harmful sounds that are too loud or extended over time, sensitive structures of the inner ear can be damaged causing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).
Ten million Americans have already suffered irreversible hearing damage from noise. Thirty million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day.
The effects of noise on hearing are often underestimated because the damage takes place so gradually.
Likewise, we become used to loud background sounds by constant exposure to environmental noise.
Signals that an Environment Can Damage Your Ears
Here are some clues that your environment could damage your hearing:
You can’t hear someone three feet away.
You experience pain or ringing (tinnitus) in your ears immediately after exposure to noise.
You suddenly have difficulty understanding speech after exposure to noise: you can hear people talking but you cannot understand them.
If you have to raise your voice to shout over background noise to be heard by someone within an arm’s length away, the noise is probably in the dangerous range.
Get a Hearing Exam
Hearing is one of the most important senses that we use, especially when we monitor our environments for safety and security.
Hearing also is linked directly to speech. Without effective use of hearing, people may become isolated and their quality of life may decline.
If you suspect you have a hearing, ear or balance problem, contact both a physician and an audiologist for examinations.
The audiologist will administer painless tests to measure your hearing. These test results can be used to maintain and improve your quality of life.
Keep in mind that even if you have experienced a degree of loss it is not too late to preserve what’s left of your hearing.
NIHL is not a degenerative condition, unless you ignore it.
Assistive Listening Devices
AudioLink offers a number of assistive listening devices (ALDs) to address mild hearing loss.
For example, TV listening systems can be used with home entertainment centers to amplify sound to personally comfortable levels- without overtaxing the ears of loved ones by cranking the volume of the TV set.
And portable personal amplifiers like the Williams Sound PockeTalker are easy to carry along with you anywhere for your listening needs.
Call AudioLink at 407-757-3326 or email for a free consultation on assistive listening devices.