| Good hearing health is important to an overall sense of | | | | wear them when using power tools, noisy yard |
| well-being. It impacts the quality of life, communication | | | | equipment, or firearms, or riding a motorcycle or |
| abilities with friends and loved ones, and | | | | snowmobile. You need to do more to protect your |
| connectedness to a world filled with sound. | | | | hearing. |
| One in 10 Americans has a hearing loss that affects | | | | Second, Buy better earphones, people automatically |
| his or her ability to understand normal speech. | | | | raise the volume when it's difficult to hear over |
| Age-related hearing loss is the most common cause | | | | background noise (a common problem at the gym. It |
| of this condition and is more prevalent than hearing | | | | pays to get high-quality headphones such as monster |
| loss caused by excessive noise exposure. | | | | beats headphones provide better sound and that fit |
| Once hearing is damaged, it often can't be restored. | | | | better into your ear canal to block competing outside |
| Some of the many causes of hearing damage include: | | | | noise. |
| Noise -- noise is part of everyday life, but loud noise | | | | Third, quit smoking and stay away from other |
| can permanently damage your hearing. Conversation | | | | smokers. A study found that the more exposure you |
| becomes difficult or impossible; your family complains | | | | receive to cigarette smoke, the more likely you are to |
| about the television or cheap DVD movies being too | | | | experience age-related hearing loss. |
| loud and you have trouble using the telephone. The | | | | Additionally, your ears can also be damaged by water |
| damage can be instant, for very loud or explosive | | | | and you should keep a few simple things in mind to |
| noises, but generally it is gradual. | | | | avoid this kind of damage. If you are going for scuba |
| - aging--Hearing loss is the third most common chronic | | | | diving, make sure that you ascend and descend in the |
| health condition for people 65 years of age and older | | | | water with extra care as the changes in pressure |
| in the United States. | | | | might damage your ears and thus affect your hearing. |
| - Drugs – certain chemicals and drugs can damage | | | | Avoid submerging your head under water when not |
| your hearing if taken over long periods of time. | | | | necessary during bathing, swimming or showering. |
| - Injury – including perforation of the ear drum, | | | | Finally, don't try to clean your ears by poking anything |
| fractured skull or large changes in air pressure | | | | into the ear canals. You may injure the delicate skin, or |
| (barotrauma). | | | | impact earwax. |
| - Disease – some diseases, such as measles, | | | | You can share what you know about NIHL with your |
| mumps, rubella (German measles) and meningitis, can | | | | family, friends, classmates, and co-workers. If you |
| cause loss of hearing. | | | | have children, explain to them that hearing is delicate |
| Obviously, it is not enough to protect your hearing | | | | and important. Call their attention to sounds that are |
| simply by avoiding exposure to excessive noises. | | | | harmful. Encourage them to protect their ears by |
| Wear hearing protectors, especially if you must work | | | | avoiding loud noises or using special earmuffs. If they |
| in an excessively noisy environment. You should also | | | | are too young to protect themselves, do it for them. |