Hearing problems among seniors are widespread with more than 3 million elderly people suffering from it. An important figure that can be explained by too little prevention, bad habits that persist and late management. Hearing Aid Center is giving you 5 tips to preserve your hearing!
Why it is important to preserve your hearing?
Hearing loss is a common health problem, affecting more than 5 million people in France. The decrease in hearing may be due to trauma, but also to bad daily habits. With aging, hearing loss is increasing, and it is from 50 to 60 years that the phenomenon is gaining momentum. This is called presbycusis, with several levels of hearing loss:
- slight losses
- average losses
- severe losses
- deep losses
Whether it is a profound or slight deafness, the consequences on everyday life are numerous. Do not wait for the phone ringing, the doorbell, and the arriving cars. The loss of hearing can have a real impact on the perception of the world around us. On the other hand, hearing loss is an important factor of social isolation. If you have trouble following conversations and have difficulty understanding what you are told, deafness can quickly become a barrier between you and your loved ones.
Avoid loud noises
The first cause of hearing loss is exposure to loud noises. This exposure is even more dangerous when it is extended. In everyday life, simple gestures help in protecting your ears.
Do not listen the radio or television too loud, and avoid wearing headphones for these activities as much as possible. When you practice a noisy activity (mowing the lawn, vacuuming, etc.) you may wear hearing protection. On a daily basis, choose calm places and avoid staying too long in noisy places.
Limit medication
Some of the hearing loss may be related to taking too much medication with harmful substances to the ears. These drugs, which have a negative impact on the auditory functions, are called “ototoxic”. Ototoxic drugs can cause tinnitus and hearing loss more or less important depending on the dosage and duration of treatment.
Among the drugs recognized ototoxic, conventional anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, but also certain antibiotics, drugs indicated against cancer or against depression. Do not hesitate to approach the question with your doctor on https://www.lawrencehearingaidcenter.net .
Clean your ears with care
To preserve your hearing, it is important to clean your ears carefully. If earwax buildup can cause hearing loss and have serious long-term consequences, earwax also protects your ears from external aggressions.
Beware of cotton swabs which, when used too much, can damage the ear. Prefer cleaning products recommended by your doctor or ENT, and limit the cleaning of the ears once a week.
Treat your diet
Several studies have shown that links exist between nutrition and hearing loss. If it is not secret that a healthy lifestyle is the key to good health, choosing the right foods helps preserve your ears.
Vitamin D helps protect the bone structure of the inner ear, when vitamins E, C, A and magnesium prevent the production of free radicals that damage the ear during exposure to noise. Obviously, diet will not completely protect your ears or cure hearing loss, but adopting good habits can prevent hearing loss.
React quickly in case of discomfort
To preserve hearing, the best reflex is to consult an ENT regularly, especially after 60 years. If you experience a clogged ear feel, have difficulty discerning noises in a noisy environment, or feel less hearing, you need to react quickly and make an appointment at the ENT. Whether it is a wax plug or presbycusis, the faster the treatment is, the more likely you are to preserve your hearing!