Friday, August 31, 2012

Discover How to Protect Your Family’s Hearing Health



Most people are vastly familiar with the concept that healthy lifestyles have a positive and long-term impact on overall health.  Eating nutritious foods and getting an adequate amount of exercise can lead to healthy bodies that are resilient and able to stand against many health concerns, illnesses, and diseases.  Hearing health is not something that most people think about on a regular basis.  However, with a few things in mind, parents can take positive steps to protect their hearing and the hearing of their children.

The Benefits of Protecting Your Hearing

 Planning ahead and taking assertive action to lead a clean and healthy lifestyle can help to significantly promote excellent hearing health.  These actions will teach children how to maintain a good lifestyle and it is always better to prevent something then have to fight against it.

Protect Your Hearing from Loud Noises

There are numerous steps a person can take around the house and at work to protect his or her hearing.  Committing to these actions and teaching children and teens in the family about the importance of these actions will result in long-term benefits that will lead to a safer and healthier lifestyle.  Keeping televisions, radios, and cell phones turned down to a moderate level is one of the most important things a person can do to protect his or her hearing.  

In addition to turning down media and electronic devices within the home, lawn and garden equipment and machinery also should be monitored.  The sheer volume of electric saws, drills, lawn mowers, weed eaters, and other similar equipment that is found around many homes can have a very damaging effect on people who use these devices.   Wearing ear plugs when using machinery or lawn and garden equipment that produces loud noises will be a great way to maintain control over excellent hearing health.

Protect Your Body and Your Hearing

Smoking is one habit that is well-known for having damaging effects on a person’s body.  Smoking can also lead to damaged hearing ability.  When a person smokes, toxins are released into the body and this can negatively affect a person’s ability to hear.  When a person smokes and is around high-pitched noises on a regular basis, the individual is drastically increasing his or her chances of losing their hearing in the future.

Eating a healthy diet also can play a big part in maintaining good hearing health.  Poor diets can lead to diseases such as diabetes.  Diabetes commonly affects a person’s ability to hear.  Overall nutritious diets, adequate amounts of sleep, and proper amounts of exercise can play a big part in a person maintaining and protecting his or her hearing ability.  A smart decision to make along with maintaining a healthy diet would be to make an appointment with your doctor especially if you feel you have been losing hearing overtime.  Your audiologist will be able to test your hearing and find what your baseline hearing levels are.  With these results they will be able to provide you with tips on how to protect your hearing or based on the severity of your hearing, prescribe the use of hearing aids.  Hearing aids will be able to help restore some of the hearing you had lost before. 

Take Assertive Action as Soon as Hearing Loss Symptoms are Suspected

The Mayo Clinic web article on hearing loss symptoms informs people of possible symptoms to look out for if they suspect damaged hearing.  Like any illness or health concern, the sooner a person sees a medical professional if a problem is suspected, the better the chances of correcting or treating the symptoms will be.  Viewing the symptoms listed can help people to remain aware of things that can suggest hearing problems.

Taking action as soon as symptoms are noticed or suspected will increase a person’s chances of overcoming the problem.  A medical professional can offer advice and treatment to help correct or supplement a person’s hearing in many situations.


* An article sent by John O'Connor

Thanks John!


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