Hearing loss affects over 50 million people in the United States alone. Unfortunately, many cases go undetected until the hearing loss becomes severe or profound. Regular hearing tests with an audiologist allow you to identify the issue far sooner, which can help you manage the condition in style. Nevertheless, prevention is the best form of protection and is the best way to keep your hearing in great health.

How to keep your hearing protected in a range of life situations

If you work in loud surroundings, there's very little you can do to stop the noise exposure altogether. Worse still, you could be exposed to those sounds for over 40 hours per week. Any sound over 85dB can be harmful, which means traffic, motorbikes and road drills are just some of the potential dangers.

There are several ways to protect your ears from exposure to those noises, including but not limited to:

Wearing ear defense products such as noise-canceling earmuffs or earplugs
Upgrading to quieter equipment where possible
Taking regular breaks to get away from the sound source

When your ears are suitably protected through a combination of defense products and smarter habits, even the longer shifts will fail to cause problems.

Take extra care in loud surroundings

The workplace isn't the only environment where you could be exposed to loud noises. Sports arenas, music gigs, fireworks display and a range of other situations can be equally problematic. Consequently, then, you must prepare yourself for those circumstances and wear the right noise-canceling equipment. Alternatively, you could consider enjoying another task.

Other precautions include:

Driving with the windows up when caught in traffic or by road works
Standing well away from the amplification systems at public venues
Turn the volume down when listening to headphones

The ears can be exposed to a range of loud sound sources over the course of a week. Go the extra mile to ensure that the negative impacts are limited and you should be fine.

Keep your ears dry

Swimmer's ear is a regular complaint from people that spend a lot of time in the water. In fact, some individuals experience this sensation as a result of their showering habits. The moisture can cause infection to the growth of bacteria, which can bring long-term hearing loss as well as temporary issues. The damages can also impact the hair cells that carry sound waves.

There are several ways to keep your ears dry including

Wear custom earplugs or other products that cover the ears when bathing or swimming,

Gently dry your ears using a towel and the dab technique after you've been in water.

One thing you must not do, however, is poke your ears with a Q-tip. Millions of people are guilty of doing it, but you must learn to avoid the problem at all costs.

Give your ears a chance to recuperate

Like the other parts of your body, the ears need a chance to rest and recuperate after they've been put under significant stress. The ears aren't any different, which is why you must pay attention to your habits as well as the actions taken following the most hazardous situations.

Some of the most important steps at this juncture include:

Give yourself at least 18 hours for the ears to recovery after loud noise exposure
Try to take yourself away from the source of sound for a few minutes during extended periods
Build a schedule that includes a few days where noise exposure is limited

It's easier to help your ears recover after a short spell of noise exposure compared to handling the permanent repercussions of sound exposure.

Visit an audiologist

Taking daily precautions at work and leisure can go a long way to reducing the strain on your ears and exposure to loud noises. However, it's important to gain a professional opinion from an audiologist. As well as identifying hearing loss and finding the right method of protection for you, the audiologist can help you through other ideas.

Some of the most noticeable forms of assistance include:

Discussing the right type of ear defense in various situations
Looking at the prospect of lifestyle changes that could help
Explaining other sources of hearing loss and what can be done about them

An audiologist provides you with the knowledge to help prevent and limit hearing loss at any age. To find out more, call Desert Hearing Care at (480) 374-1846 today.

What Can You Do To Prevent Your Hearing Loss?