Tips to Prevent & Limit Hearing Loss

Authored by Ms Neevita Narayan, Audiologist & Founder, SpHear Speech & Hearing Clinics

New Delhi: Not all hearing-impaired people are born such. Some people may suffer from hearing loss during their lifetime due to a number of factors. As we age, changes in the inner ear and its functions often cause age-related hearing loss which manifests in the elderly’s reduced ability to hear. At the same time, some people experience noise-induced hearing loss which is a result of either sudden exposure to very loud noise or prolonged exposure to high decibel noise.

Here are some tips to ensure you retain your hearing ability well for a long time in life:

?  Avoid exposure to loud noise. For this it is important to understand the sound levels of your environment. If you need to shout to be heard or stretch your ears to hear somebody lose to you, you are in an environment that is too loud for the ears. Try to avoid such places or minimize time spent there. For example, discotheques, music concerts etc

?  Wear earplugs if you spend long hours in traffic. Traffic honking is another form of loud noise that doesn’t bode well for the ears. If you spend a long time stuck in traffic every day, start wearing earplugs.

?  You are the most prone to noise induced hearing loss if you work in high noise places like construction sites, factories, discotheques etc. Make sure you religiously wear  protective ear plugs if you work in such an environment

?  Take breaks between loud noises. If the noise around you is too much to bear, make sure you give your ears regular break from such environment.

?  Avoid using earphones to hear loud music. Hearing loud music on earphones is a worrisome widespread development in recent years. Limit the use of earphone and if you use it, make sure the music is played at moderate levels.

?  Report any discrepancy to an audiologist/ doctor immediately. Any pain in the ear, or ringing or buzzing sound in the ear or reduced hearing ability must be immediately reported to a doctor.