Top tips to look after your hearing

Throughout our day, we encounter various different sounds. From the noise of the trains that we take to work to the ambient noise in the office, we employ different methods of blocking out noise to concentrate. Typically, this takes the form of listening to music, on a personal device or through communal audio systems but prolonged use of these methods can have a detrimental effect on our hearing.

How to tell when you’re exposed to too much noise
If you work in a noisy environment, it can be hard to determine whether you are losing your ability to hear without immediately realising it. The best way to look after your hearing in places like this is to try and avoid sources of loud noise where possible. This also includes the use of aural protection to help lessen the effect loud noise will have on your ears.

How loud is too loud?
The common agreement amongst aural experts is that anything that emits a sound that has a volume of over 85dB is dangerous for your aural health. It can be hard to work out how much decibels this equals to in simple terms. It can be as loud as a vacuum cleaner that is in close proximity, or even a baby that is crying next to you, both of which can be uncomfortable to be around for prolonged amounts of time

Tips for safer listening
There are simple things you can carry out to help prolong your ability to hear right well into your golden years. If you’re a person who listens to music a lot whilst commuting, make sure you aren’t drowning out the ambient noise around you. This has become one of the common ways that many youths growing up today first experience hearing loss.

If you’re a person who loves their live music, make sure you bring a pair of ear plugs along with you. It may sound counter-intuitive to bring along something that will block out the sound at a concert, but this can help reduce the decibels at the venue to levels that are within the safe threshold.

It may also sound bizarre, but make it a priority to have an aural detox. Give your ears time to recover after they’ve been exposed to loud noise. This can be very beneficial for your hearing as loud music often leaves you with a ringing sensation in your ears, but by resting your hearing for a period of at least 16 hours, you can help your hearing recover. If you do not give yourself time to recover, you may put yourself at risk of permanent deafness.

If you believe that you might be having problems with your hearing, immediately visit your local medical practitioner, or book yourself a hearing test at your local clinic. The quicker you act, the sooner a qualified practitioner can diagnose whether you need treatment or not.