7 Habits That Are Damaging to Hearing Health

Hearing loss, to a certain extent, is normal and natural. As we age, most of us will encounter hearing loss to a certain degree in line with our aging bodies. Of course, what we lose physically as we age, we make up for internal wisdom. Perhaps that’s a fair trade.

However, there’s no reason for you to speed up that process without the expected reward, by contributing to the damage of your hearing health. Unfortunately, your hearing is a sensitive process and it is possible to cause undue if you’re not careful.

In this article, we’ll discuss seven of the most pernicious habits that can cause a steady but assured degradation of hearing health, as well as advice for what to do should you notice a change in your hearing capabilities. With that in mind, let’s consider the following.

1. Living at an Unhealthy Weight

Living with obesity and lacking exercise can damage our health in a plethora of ways, but it can also exacerbate some conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. This puts undue pressure on your circulatory system, can cause high blood pressure and limit capable blood flow. In combination, these symptoms can damage your hearing more than you might realize, especially over time. For this reason and many others, maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight if necessary as well as exercising regularly is key to a healthy life.

2. Smoking

Smoking exposes you to thousands of different chemicals and some of these are capable of damaging your hearing health, as they are known to damage the extremely sensitive inner-ear mechanisms required for competent hearing. This is especially true as we grow older. Of course, smoking is terrible for our lungs and is known to cause several forms of cancer, and so reaching out for help in quitting is thoroughly worthwhile.

3. A Lack of Ear Protection

If you work in noisy environments, your employer is required by law to provide you with adequate ear protection. This may take the form of ear defender covers designed to block out sounds. This is the case if working with heavy machinery, but it can also come through mining, military situations or even spending time around transportation vehicles.

4. Ignoring Infections

Ear infections must be seen to as soon as possible, because it may be that a course of antibiotic treatment is required in order for you to fight it off. In some cases, a lack of urgency can cause an ear infection to spread and begin affecting the inner hearing mechanisms of your inner ear. This has also been linked to symptoms of dizziness, as your inner ear is responsible for the upkeep of your general balance. If you suspect an ear infection or are encountering any kind of continued pain or discomfort in your ear – make sure to visit your general practitioner as soon as possible.

5. Loud Music and Headphone Usage

By far one of the most common habits damaging the hearing of millions today is that of listening to music too loud through headphones and earphones. Once you get used to pressing the volume louder than it should be, that becomes your new normal. Over time, you may need louder volumes in order to hear your music as you had beforehand.

While it’s true that certain software manufacturers such as Apple with their iOS for iPhones, and Google’s Android operating system now offers warnings when you raise the volume limit too high, the best thing you can do is moderate this yourself. Turn your volume control to the point where you can hear it well without causing stress, and if you’re unsure, less is better. This can help you prevent a steady escalation of volume.

6. Binge Drinking

Drinking alcohol, especially binge drinking, can impact your brain over time. It has been linked to reduced hearing as it causes real effects to your inner ear. Drinking in moderation is usually fine, but make sure you avoid overdoing it. 

While this might not be considered a primary form of hearing loss, it’s a common habit that can contribute, and you may not have known that before today.

7. Failing to See an Audiologist

If you notice any signs of hearing loss, it’s best to see an audiologist as soon as you can. They will be able to provide the right care and testing to determine what solutions would be the best for your specific situation. If you’re looking for this kind of treatment, contact the team at Audiology and Hearing Aid Services by calling us today at 912-351-3038.