11/21/2024
Protect Your Ears From Hearing Loss
Young adults tend to know the importance of caring for their minds, muscles, and heart: We'll go to therapy, engage in cardo and strength training, and follow a balanced diet to keep them in tip-top shape. But we don't usually give our ears the same TLC-and according to audiologist Emily J. Taylor, AuD, FAAA, that's a mistake. "There are very small preventable measures that young people could be taking that would prevent permanent hearing loss and ringing in the ears, called tinnitus," says Taylor.
It's normal to experience some hearing loss as you get older(aka age-related hearing loss or presbycusis), due to changes in the inner and middle ear and along the neural pathways from the ear to the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health(NIH). Genetics, certain medical conditions(such as high blood pressure and diabetes), and some medications (including those for chemotherapy) can contribute to hearing loss as you age, per the NIH. While scientists haven't figures out how to prevent presbycusis just yet, you can take steps to stave off hearing loss due to noise, which is incredibly common. An estimated 17%of 20- to 69-year-old adults have permanent hearing damage due to excessive noise exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Poor hearing performance had been linked with worse cognitive functioning, and hearing impairment is seen as the greatest risk factor for dementia, according to a 2022 study on more than 168,000 participants.
Unless your job(construction or woodworking) requires it, you may not think to wear hearing protection in noisy spaces. But in reality, you should be wearing earplugs when you're attending a music festival, riding a motorcycle, or even mowing your lawn, says Taylor. Without them, "you could experience temporary tinnitus or temporary hearing loss," she adds. People often push back on wearing ear protection at concerts as they believe they wont be able to hear the artist. But there are earplugs on the market, such as those from Loop and Eargasm, that are specifically designed for music-and look pretty cute to boot, she notes. "You hear the music perfectly; it's just a little softer," she adds. "In my opinion, the music sounds a little better because it's not, like, painfully loud."
A hearing exam may not be a part of your health screening routine, but it's time you add it to your to-do list. The American Academy of Audiology RX recommends adults have a screening by an audiologist once a year. Book an appointment with an audiologist if you're experiencing any signs of hearing loss or damage, whether it be struggling with everyday conversations, experiencing ringing in your ears, noticing a difference in hearing between your two ears, or feeling dizzy regularly.
