No need to wait until there are difficulties with understanding what is being said before you start caring about your hearing. There are many ways to change your use of headphones, exposure to noisy environments, and communication with people that can positively affect your hearing.

It is also necessary to know that improved hearing means something different than restoration of your original hearing ability. In case your hearing is affected by earwax and/or the consequences of an infection, it is possible to cure the cause and improve your hearing. But if you have a hearing loss caused by age and/or noise exposure, there is no supplement that could restore sensory hair cells of the inner ear.

Does it mean that there is nothing you could do? Of course not! You can protect yourself from additional noise exposure and make communication easier for yourself. This is how you can begin.

1. Protect Your Hearing From Everyday Noise

Among the ways in which you can protect yourself from hearing impairment is by being conscious of the level of noise and duration to which you are exposed. Hearing loss due to noise happens when sounds are either too loud, too close, or for too long. This type of hearing loss often occurs without warning and may come without pain. You may feel like you have temporary ringing in your ears after a concert, but that you feel normal the following day does not mean that your ears have been unaffected. The great thing is that there are many situations that you can control.

Keep headphone volume at a comfortable level

Many people wear their headphones while listening to music or videos or podcasts. It’s all about the right volume and the right time. You need to form the habit of setting the minimum volume first and then increasing it accordingly. If you tend to increase the volume to its maximum limit every single time so that you can hear the traffic noises or people chatting in the crowded gym, then consider noise-canceling headphones or go somewhere quieter.

You do not have to use one volume percentage as the standard for safety. The same volume on different headphones can provide varying sound levels. Take advantage of the function of your gadget for monitoring the level of sound exposure from your headphones. Moreover, it is important to make pauses during long periods of time when listening to something. Lowering the level of sound and decreasing the period of its influence are more efficient than hoping that some pause would cure all existing problems.

Recognize when your surroundings are too loud

One does not require a professional sound meter in order to be better aware of the noise in the environment. The NIDCD has stated that exposure to sounds greater than 85 decibels (dBA) either on repeated occasions or continuously may lead to hearing damage. The louder the sound is, the less likely it is to take long before it causes damage.

As a general rule, normal conversation is less noisy than a loud concert, a power tool, or even a motorcycle. There have been instances of movie theaters, sporting events, and other entertainment venues being excessively loud. An indicator is the situation when one has to shout to be heard in the company of people standing right next to him. Although it will not tell the exact number of decibels present, this will be enough reason for taking action to avoid the noise. If you consider the environment not comfortable because of noise, distance yourself from it or remove yourself from the environment entirely.

Wear ear protectors if you cannot avoid noisy sounds.

In some cases, it will not be possible to avoid the noise. You might find yourself working on machinery, attending concerts, riding on motorcycles, or indulging in some leisure activities which include the use of power tools.

It is important that you wear the proper hearing protection in such cases. Foam or reusable earplugs may help cut down the amount of noise entering your ears. There is also another kind of protection in earmuffs that can be used particularly when you are at work or working with noisy machinery. Musicians and concert-goers have been known to use musicians’ earplugs because these protect against noise in a balanced way such that music becomes enjoyable.

It is very important to choose an appropriate type of hearing protection depending on the degree of noise, how long you will be exposed to it, and if you require any instruction. You should always follow the directions given by the manufacturer and ensure that you use the hearing protection correctly. Those who are working in noisy environments should not rely on earplugs only when the noise is too high or when there are special hearing conservation requirements at the workplace.

2. Build Daily Habits That Help Protect Your Hearing

The topic of safeguarding your hearing is not restricted to the necessity of avoiding concerts and wearing earplugs at work. There are also some things that you should do to protect yourself even before going to a noisy environment.

Therefore, if you plan on attending a concert, you had better take your earplugs along; you cannot make a decision regarding the use only after listening to the music. During a visit to a sports event, it is advisable to find a place to sit that is further away from the speakers, if it is possible. In case you are using the devices mentioned above, you should stick to the guidelines and use protection.

In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the consequences of noise exposure. Tinnitus, dulled hearing, or heightened sound sensitivity after a loud concert are the signs that you have to watch out for in order not to expose yourself to loud noises in the future. However, these symptoms are not the indicators of the damage done or the signs that your ears should have some rest.One of the most important rules is not to base your assessment on recovery.

Watch out for objects and products put inside your ears

Using cotton swabs and other objects can lead to further earwax blockage or harm your ears. Ear candling is neither safe nor effective as a means of earwax removal, and can be harmful as well. Earwax does not mean that there is something wrong. It serves as an ear protection mechanism, and usually the body cleans up the ears itself. In case you feel any sort of obstruction, you should see a doctor. While these tips cannot help you prevent all kinds of hearing problems, they will help you stay safe.

3. Make Everyday Conversations Easier to Hear

Protecting one’s hearing will go a long way in lowering the risks in the future. However, for people who currently have trouble having conversations, a simple change in the surrounding area in which they converse can help immediately. The aim here is not to increase all the sounds. Instead, the objective is to try and make the conversation more understandable.

Reduce background noise before a conversation starts

In usual cases, while eating in a restaurant, there are some things going on behind the scenes such as noise from dishes, music, and even people speaking at the neighboring table. People having some level of hearing problems will find it difficult to have a conversation in this setting.

Where possible, pick another location that is quiet. For instance, in restaurants, request a table away from the kitchen and speakers. At home, ensure that the television is switched off or background noise is lowered prior to conversation. On the phone, stay away from sources of noise such as fans or traffic noise.

Face the person speaking

While talking to others, try to listen to them and face them as well. Facial expressions and lip movements might give some additional information which will help you understand what is being communicated to you better.

It is also important to attract the attention of a person before the start of a conversation. Ask him to repeat what he has said in case you missed something instead of pretending that you have understood everything.

It is better to speak clearly rather than shouting, because very loud speech distorts and becomes hard to understand.

Use the right listening tools for the situation

If the only problem you face is hearing the television, then a TV listening device or compatible headphones will be sufficient without increasing the volume level for everyone else in the room. Phone amplifiers or other hearing assistance devices may also be useful in some particular situations. For example, there are some public places where hearing loop systems are available to be used with compatible hearing devices. These devices cannot fix the damage done to your hearing ability but will allow you to handle specific hearing situations more easily. But if you have problems in multiple hearing situations, then you should arrange a hearing test to identify your best solution.

4. If You Already Have Hearing Loss, Understand Your Options

Even if your hearing is beginning to fade, there is still value in protecting the hearing that remains. However, if hearing loss has occurred permanently, just the act of protection will not make things clearer for you. The next course of action will depend on why you have hearing problems. In cases where the culprit is earwax, fluid, or infection, the treatment of the condition can lead to better hearing.

When might an OTC hearing aid help?

In the USA, OTC hearing aids are designed for adults who have the age of 18 years and older and have mild or moderate hearing loss. One could talk about hearing aids or OTC hearing aids if it is difficult for one to understand people, one repeatedly asks people to repeat themselves, or it is difficult to listen in noisy conditions.

However, it is not every hearing problem that can be resolved with OTC hearing aids. In case the hearing loss is abrupt, very severe, highly asymmetric, or associated with any alarming signs, then one should consider getting an expert to examine their condition rather than going ahead to buy an OTC hearing aid. If the hearing aid does not work, that is also a good cause for examining hearing. Hearing aids do not restore damaged sensory cells, nor do they protect against all forms of hearing loss in the future.

5. Build Healthy Habits to Protect Your Hearing

1. Protect Your Ears from Damaging Sound

Sounds at a high decibel level have the potential to harm your hearing capacity due to exposure to such sounds all the time. It is essential that you always wear protective earplugs or headphones whenever you are at a party, gaming, or operating power tools. Wherever possible, stay away from the speaker sources.

2. Keep Your Ears Clean

Ears have their own mechanisms to remove excess wax from them, and thus in general, there is no need to clean your ears in any way. Do not use objects like a cotton swab or anything else that pushes the wax further into your ears or hurts your ears.

3. Get Your Hearing Tested Periodically

Changes in hearing are usually slow and not easily detected. Nevertheless, if you find yourself asking people to repeat what they are saying and can't catch what is being said in noisy places, you might consider getting a hearing test. It will be easy for you to diagnose the problem and find its solution.

4. Practice Healthy Living

Consuming healthy foods, getting involved in regular exercises, and managing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes will help keep good health. Smoking should be avoided while drinking moderately to achieve good health as well. This may not be an effective way to prevent hearing impairment, but living healthy is a sound thing to do.

5. Setting Up Volume Levels of Headphones

Make sure that the sound levels of the headphones that you wear are comfortable for you while you listen to music or watch movies or have a talk via phones. Do not set them up right away, but only based on your needs. If you find yourself forced to increase the volume level of the music that you listen to in order to hear it over the noises in the streets, then you better buy some noise-canceling headphones and stay in more silent places.

6. Look for Healthy Methods of Dealing with Stress

Your sleep, your mood, and your health as well as your state in general, may be influenced by stress. Though it is not clear whether the relaxation techniques are able to help in curing your hearing impairment, walking, breathing, meditation, and yoga can help you cope with the stress. However, if you feel symptoms of tinnitus or hearing issues while being under stress, it does not mean that stress is the cause of your problem. Check your hearing.

6. Start With One Change Today

It is not necessary for you to change all behaviors at once in order to begin taking care of your hearing in a better way. You can simply start with something that will help you. You can simply lower the volume of your headsets, carry some earplugs along to the concert, move away from a noisy machine, or simply switch off the TV while talking with your family members. If you have been having problems with communication, then why not make life easier for yourself and arrange for a hearing test. What we're not going to do is pledge that all hearing losses can somehow be fixed. We're going to try to help preserve what you have and make things easier for you.

Sources

• NIDCD, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
• NIDCD, Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)
• NIDCD, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
• Mayo Clinic, Hearing Loss — Diagnosis and Treatment