Ways to Protect Your Hearing

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, there are already 22 million American adults (20 to 69 year old) who have permanently damaged their hearing.

Make your ears more of a priority and protect the precious sense with these 5 tips by the team at The Balancing Act TV Show:

Turn it down. This one may be slightly obvious, but it’s important. If someone can hear what you are listening to through headphones, it’s probably too loud. When listening to a personal audio device, turn the volume down.

Walk away. When you hear a loud noise, walk away from the source if you can. The more distance between you and the source, the less intense the sound is and possibly, the amount of damage done.

Use earplugs. If you know you’re going to be around loud sounds (at work or a concert), use earplugs. You’ll still be able to hear the music and conversations when you’re wearing them, they’re inexpensive and they’ll help you in the long run.

Limit your time in noisy environments. Do your best to spend the least amount of time you can in noisy environments. If it’s unavoidable, wear earplugs around the loud noise and try to alternate between quiet areas regularly.

Invest in noise-cancelling headphones. Any time you’re going to be exposed to loud noises, such as in an airplane, it’s a good idea to use noise-cancelling headphones. Not only will they cut out ambient sound, they also allow you to reduce the volume of whatever you’re listening to, which is doubly good for your ears.

Sources:

http://www.betterhearing.org/news/6-easy-tips-protecting-your-hearing-summer
http://thehouseofhearing.com/hearing-services-and-tests/5-ways-to-protect-your-hearing/