How To Hear Into Old Age

When we talk about ageing, we generally fear losing some percentage of our sight or otherwise other bodily function. Unfortunately, this is a natural part of growing old, however, there is a lot we can do to prevent early degradation.

We exercise to keep our body in good shape, we wear specialized glasses to protect our eyes, yet there is little we ever do to protect our ears. Hearing is one of our most important senses, without which, many people would be at a loss. In the below, we discuss what can cause hearing loss and how best to mitigate it. Keep your ears in the best possible shape by starting to look after them today.

Hearing Protection

Everybody knows that loud sounds can damage your ears, but just how loud could add to hearing loss. Sound is typically measured in a scale called decibels or DB for short, below are some examples of different sound at these sound levels to get a rough idea of the scale.

• 10DB – the sound of your breathing. About as quiet as normal sounds get, your breathing is a constant that most people have learnt to just ignore.
• 40DB – the average hum caused by a refrigerator.
• 60DB – A normal conversation or an air-conditioner running.
• 80DB – the average sound level of a busy intersection without car horns.
• 90DB – Power tools like a drill or a leaf blower.
• 100DB – a loud motorcycle.
• 110DB – The normal maximum of speakers at a venue or club.
• 120DB – Standing next to a police siren.
• 140DB – Firecrackers.

On this nature of scale, the average person may think ear damage can occur at 110 to 120DB. In reality, we can suffer hearing damage at just 80DB with two hours of exposure. If a sound is annoying to you, it’s likely enough to drive some nature of hearing loss. Louder sounds like 100DB can cause possible hearing loss in only 15 minutes of exposure. Hearing protection, even in the form of normal headphones, can have a great effect on lowering the sound levels of everyday life.

Music

Our personal music stands to be damaging to our hearing out of comfort. Listening to music when enjoying all kinds of activities such as playing the slots Canada offers is a fantastic pastime enjoyed by most people. But when we do, we often make mistakes. As you listen to music, it’s normal to become accustomed to the volume and in turn want to turn the volume up. This phenomenon is especially present with earbuds. A simple trick is to take a 5-minute break after every few songs. Taking a small break will allow your ears to acclimatize to a quieter environment, preventing you from turning the volume higher after every few tracks.

Stop Using Cotton Swabs

Using cotton swabs is unhealthy for the normal function of your ear and simply dangerous if coming into contact with the ear drum. While ear wax can be annoying, it is a natural part of how our ears keep themselves clean and prevent ingress of dust and other unwanted materials. Cleaning your ears out often, even if avoiding touching the ear drum, will result in more frequent ear infections and an inability for your body to clean out any potential dirt in your inner ear. Cotton swabs in your ear should only be used under direct recommendation from a doctor.