Taking care of your hearing is essential for maintaining your overall well-being, but it can be difficult to know exactly howto do that. There’s just so much advice out there! As an audiologist, I can honestly tell you that I have heard it all – the good, the bad, and the potentially harmful.
In this post, I want to separate fact from fiction and shed some light on the most effective strategies to protect and preserve your hearing. Let’s start out with the good stuff…
Best Hearing Health Advice
“Wear hearing protection, even if you think you might not need it.”
I want to give all of the hand clap emojis to this piece of advice because boy, do people need to hear this. Prolonged exposure to noise levels above 85 decibels can damage the sensitive structures of the inner ear. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is common and unfortunately, it’s not reversible. Being proactive is the only way to protect yourself and your hearing!
“Don’t wait until you have hearing loss to get a hearing evaluation.”
A lot of people don’t realize it, but regular hearing check-ups should be a part of your preventative healthcare routine. Just like you get an annual physical and biannual dental cleanings, regular hearing evaluations can help you catch potential issues early. If hearing loss is detected, you and your audiologist can make adjustments to prevent further deterioration.
“Be careful when inserting earbuds or cotton swabs into your ears.”
I have treated patients with extensive ear damage – and severely impacted earwax – because they are misusing cotton swabs. Earbuds are also a concern among audiologists not only because some people have the volume up way too loud, but also because they can be inserted too deeply, to the point where they can cause physical trauma.
Worst Hearing Health Advice
“If you can’t hear people, it’s probably because everyone is mumbling.”
We all know people who mumble. But if it seems like everyone around you is mumbling, it could be hearing loss. Think about the word “cat” for a moment. The “a” sound is a low pitch, which is easier to hear. But the “c” and “t” have soft high pitch sounds. People with high frequency hearing loss might struggle to hear those letters, so it might sound like the speaker is mumbling. If this is happening, it’s a good idea to schedule a hearing evaluation.
“Don’t get hearing aids, they just make everything louder.”
Sometimes, people resist hearing aids because they think they’re going to amplify the volume of everything around them. This is a misconception! Some of the lower quality amplification devices do this, but the hearing technology we fit in our office is next level. They are digital and function in real-time, and we can actually customize what gets amplified – and by how much!
“Your hearing loss is normal for your age.”
Unfortunately, I have heard some physicians say this to their patients and it simply isn’t true! There is no such thing as “normal” hearing loss. On top of that, this misinformed belief overlooks the fact that hearing loss can affect people of all ages, including children and young adults. It is so important to recognize that hearing loss can impact anyone at any stage of their life.
At Sonora Hearing Care, LLC, we provide a 30 minute one-on-one consultation where we can sit down together and discuss any hearing or communication issues you might be experiencing. You can ask us any questions you might have (seriously, we love it when patients come with a list of questions) and we can go over all of your options to find something you feel comfortable with. Most of the time, these consultation lead to scheduling a hearing evaluation appointment.
Click here to set up an appointment or call 520-881-8740 to set up an appointment with us!