It is estimated that there are 10 million people in the UK with some form of hearing impairment or deafness and this is expected to rise as the population ages over the following years. Hearing problems have many different causes from birth defects or hereditary hearing loss to work related noise or infections.
- Protecting your ears
If your job involves working in a loud environment then wearing ear protectors is probably part of your everyday outfit, but it’s still important to get regular tests from a reputable company like Hidden Hearing, they will check your hearing and advise you about further checkups you may need in the future. The workplace is not the only place where you will hear loud noises, working at home with power tools can cause permanent damage. Wearing ear plugs or protectors will reduce the chances of damaging this delicate area.
- Listening to music
Playing music through headphones allows you to cut out any additional background noise, but an article in The Guardian says that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) loud music is the biggest contributor to hearing loss, affecting one in six people. Companies are now setting limits on the volume controls of music devices so that when set on maximum they will still be safe to use and if you are taking children to a loud concert giving them ear plugs will prevent any damage to their ears.
- Keeping your ears clean
Many people will clean their ears on a regular basis due to a build up of wax and may have noticed their hearing is being affected, but this wax forms for a reason and according to the Huffington Post the only time you should remove the wax is when it starts to dull your hearing. In this case the best action to take is to go to a hearing specialist who can remove the wax safely with the appropriate equipment, after the procedure your hearing should be clearer.
- Look after your health
Children and adults are all susceptible to infections and colds which can have side effects that aren’t visible. If you or your child catches a cold then always make sure that you watch out for the signs of an inner ear infection, these can be earache, a build up of fluid in the ear or slight hearing loss. If you notice any of these symptoms it’s always best to go to your GP – if the condition is left untreated, permanent hearing loss can occur.
- Having a hearing aid fitted
If you have struggled with your hearing for years and are always asking people to repeat themselves then going for a hearing test might give you back your hearing. The test is simple and only takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes, once you have the results and it’s decided that you might need a hearing aid the choice on offer varies, but once you have it fitted you will wonder why you didn’t have them tested before.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
