How the Elderly Can Protect Your Hearing
As we age, we will inevitably experience several changes in the way our body functions. Hearing loss is likely to be one of them.
There are two common reasons people start to lose their hearing.
Aging:
As we get older, the tiny hair cells in our inner ears slowly break down and can’t pick up sound vibrations as well as they used to.
Noise:
A lot of loud sounds over time can damage the hair cells in our ear.
At South Coast Post Acute, we understand this can be a hard transition for people. Luckily, there are ways we can avoid noise-induced hearing loss and keep age-related issues from getting worse.
Avoid Loud Sounds
Avoiding noise might sound like a tough thing to do, but the rule of thumb is if you must shout over the clatter, it’s loud enough to damage your hearing.
Avoid things like motorcycles, concert speakers, power tools, and earphones. Harmful noise levels can be rated based on average decibel levels.
Avoid purchasing loud products.
Instead, purchase items that have a low noise rating and go to places with a quieter environment.
Wear Hearing Protection
If you know you’re going to be around loud sounds for more than a few minutes then it’s crucial that you wear ear protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs.
Earplugs and earmuffs have shown to reduce noise by 15 to 30 decibels.
Don’t Smoke
Research has shown that smoking tobacco makes it more likely to lose your hearing.
Properly Remove Earwax
It’s best to not use cotton swabs to clean your ears. This will likely do more damage in your canal than help it.
Instead, use an at-home irrigation kit to soften the wax and gently wash it out.
Check Medications for Hearing Risks
It’s estimated around 200 drugs that are on the market can damage hearing, including some antibiotics and cancer-fighting drugs.
Even high doses of aspirin can cause harm. Check with your doctor to make sure it won’t make an impact.
Have Your Hearing Tested
If you are having trouble understanding conversations, your family has a history with hearing loss, or you are around loud noises daily it would be best to schedule an appointment to get your ears checked.
We all will most likely go through some hearing loss, but we don’t have to let it get severe.
At South Coast Post Acute our skilled nursing facility can assist you in helping to counteract the damage that you may be dealing with to prevent future worsening.
Contact us today to find out how we can help with your post-acute needs!