New year, new you. While resolutions come in all shapes and sizes, they often have one thing in common – making you a better version of yourself. Why not make this the year that you finally focus on improving your hearing with these resolutions outlined below?
Resolve to Get Your Hearing Tested
The only way to know if you are one of the 48 million Americans with hearing loss is to get a hearing test.
After reviewing your medical history and discussing your family’s history of hearing loss, your audiologist will examine your ears to determine if your loss of hearing is caused by an obstruction or damage to the ear canal. They will then conduct a series of hearing tests in order to determine your type and degree of hearing loss. Your exam may include:
- Audiometric pure tone evaluation
- Speech evaluation
- Immittance middle-ear evaluation
Anyone over the age of 50 should have their hearing tested every three years, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Those under the age of 50 should have their hearing screened at least once every 10 years.
Resolve to Start Wearing Hearing Protection
Sounds are measured in decibels (dB). Anything over 85 dB can cause damage to your hearing. Power tools, gas-powered lawnmowers, sirens, firecrackers and guns can all produce dangerously loud sounds. While giving up yardwork and staying indoors may seem like the answer, you don’t have to live this way.
Hearing protection in the form of over-the-counter earplugs or custom-earmolds can keep your ears safe when exposed to loud noises.
Resolve to Buy Safer Headphones
Not all headphones are created equal. When listening with headphones while in an environment with a lot of background noise, such at , you have to turn the volume up even louder in order to drown out the noise of the crowd. This can damage your hearing all too easily.
In addition to turning down your music, experts recommend only listening to music at 60% of your headphones’ maximum volume. You might want to consider investing in a nicer pair of headphones. More expensive headphones do a better job at blocking out background noise, allowing you to hear your music better without putting your ears at risk.
To learn more about protecting your hearing or to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, contact LeMay Hearing & Balance today.
Learn More About Hearing Loss
- How Insomnia Affects Hearing
- The Effect of Social Distancing on People with Hearing Loss
- What Is the Difference Between Being Deaf and Hard of Hearing?
Call LeMay Hearing & Balance at (775) 323-5566 for more information or to schedule an appointment.