Are You Losing Your Hearing? What Should You Do?
Being able to hear the birds singing among the trees and the sound of your children laughing can add to the quality of the life you live. When you are no longer able to hear or interpret some of the sounds around you, it's easy to get concerned. With the information below, you can get an idea of what is happening with your health and learn how to protect your hearing so that it doesn't become much worse.
Have Regular Audio Tests
If you're like a number of adults, the last time your hearing was checked was in elementary or high school. If you aren't having a physical examination every year--and even if you are--it's unlikely that you've been professionally assessed to determine what you can hear. Perhaps as importantly, it's not easy to tell how your hearing has improved or deteriorated over time. That's why it's a good idea to have audio tests done regularly. When you're told that your hearing needs help, you can start taking actions that will help you can hear more clearly in the future.
Avoid Earbuds
If you're someone who commutes to work each day, you're likely to watch the news or a favorite show on your phone or tablet. However, if you prefer earbuds, you probably already know they aren't so great at canceling noise in the area; you probably ramp up the volume whenever there's a conversation going on nearby or when someone starts coughing. This means that more noise is going right into your ear, which isn't a great thing. If you're concerned about being able to hear without having to raise the volume so high, look into headphones that cover the ear.
Eat Right
It might not seem like your ability to hear has anything at all to do with food. It's surprising to find that in one study, magnesium is reported to have lowered hearing damage resulting from loud external noise. Spinach, almonds, and kale all have magnesium in them, but you can also talk to a medical expert about starting a supplementation. Antioxidants could also be beneficial for hearing, so you may want to increase your intake of the vitamin C and other anti-oxidative substances.
Taking charge of the situation instead of just ignoring your ears can give you the motivation you need to protect your hearing. See an audiologist who can give you specific instructions and coping mechanisms that fit in with your particular life.
Contact companies like Evergreen Speech & Hearing Clinic, Inc. for more information and assistance.