If You’re a Senior: Doing This Can Lessen Your Chances of Hearing Health Problems

Hearing health problems are common for older people. As you get older, both your vision and your hearing can decline. However, there are some things that you can do to help lessen your chances of experiencing hearing health problems. The right steps could help to reduce the likelihood of hearing health issues, as well as reduce some of the complications from experiencing hearing loss.

If you’re a senior who wants to take good care of your hearing health, here are some of the things that you should be doing to protect yourself and prevent further health problems.

Don’t Ignore Your Hearing Health

Paying attention to hearing health is something that a lot of people fail to do. Some people may know, in the back of their mind, that they should be paying attention to their hearing. However, it can be very easy to put things off and ignore the importance of your hearing health. There are lots of excuses that you can give yourself and other things that can distract you. You might even have your hearing tested and be prescribed hearing aids, but then ignore them and try to carry on without them. But prioritizing your hearing health is a must if you want to improve your overall health too.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

A generally healthy lifestyle is one of the things that can help you to protect your hearing and prevent hearing health-related issues. For example, managing your blood pressure and taking care of your cardiac health is one of the things that can help you to take care of your hearing health. High blood pressure and heart disease can damage your ears so caring for your heart is important. As part of caring for your physical health, avoiding smoking and drinking is a good idea. Other things to pay attention to include keeping diabetes under control, eating a healthy diet and reducing stress.

Protect Your Ears

Much of hearing loss is related to aging but your hearing can also be damaged by other things. Loud noises, whether sudden or repetitive, could cause damage to your ears. This could be the result of anything from working in a noisy environment, such as construction sites, to being a regular attendee of music concerts. If you’re exposed to loud noise, you could risk damaging your hearing permanently. It’s important to protect your ears by avoiding being too close to loud noises. If you can’t avoid it, you should have proper ear protection to prevent damage to your hearing.

Manage Your Medications

As you get older, you might find that you need various medications to manage certain health conditions. However, it’s important to be aware of those that could be linked to hearing loss. Both over the counter and prescription medications have been linked to hearing loss, although that doesn’t mean that any drug is guaranteed to damage your hearing. If a medication is affecting your hearing, it might be necessary to speak to your doctor and find an alternative medication.

Get Your Hearing Tested Regularly

Regular hearing tests should be something that everyone has, regardless of their age. Older people should make sure that they are getting their hearing tested regularly, in the same way it’s important to have your vision tested. Age-related hearing loss is a common issue, but regular hearing tests can help to pick it up early. A hearing test includes a number of tests, from a physical examination of your ears to several tests that test the function of your hearing and your hearing range.

Wear Hearing Aids

If you do have hearing loss, you may be prescribed hearing aids. Hearing aids don’t fix your hearing, but they can provide the assistance that you need to hear more clearly. If you have hearing aids, it’s important to wear them. Many people can feel shy or embarrassed about using them, in the same way that some people might feel uncomfortable wearing glasses. But if you don’t use your hearing aids, you could be missing out on a whole lot. Hearing aids can improve your quality of life and ensure you can participate fully in everything that life has to offer.

If you want to learn more about Audiology and Hearing Aid Center, get in touch with us by calling at (920) 486-6922. You can also take a look at our website to find out more about our services and discover other helpful resources.