80% of over 70s experience hearing loss, and one in three UK adults is deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus. That’s why Mr Amit Parmar, Consultant ENT at Midland Health, is sharing the best ways to protect your hearing and prevent avoidable hearing loss or damage.
Limit Headphone Use
It’s common to see people walking around with headphones, but frequently overusing them with a high volume can contribute to hearing loss. Listening at 90 decibels for just four hours a week can significantly increase the risk of developing hearing problems, and this type of hearing loss is irreversible. If you’re using headphones, it’s a good idea to follow the 60/60 rule: keep the volume below 60%, and don’t use them for over 60 minutes at a time.
Use Protection
Going to lots of noisy events, such as concerts, or working with heavy machinery without adequate ear protection, is one of the main causes of hearing loss. If you know you’ll be somewhere where loud noises are unavoidable, take some good-quality earplugs.
Don’t Touch Your Ear Canal
Avoid inserting objects such as cotton swabs into your ear canal, as they can become stuck or even cause a rupture, which can lead to hearing loss from a damaged eardrum or ossicles ( bones of hearing). If you have an increased build-up of earwax, see an ENT surgeon about professional removal instead.
Regular Hearing Tests
Neglecting your ear health by not having regular tests can be harmful in the long run. For over-50s, it’s recommended to have a hearing test every 2 years to stay on top of your ear health and identify any issues that could lead to hearing damage or loss in the future.
Stop Smoking
Frequent exposure to cigarette smoke has been found to contribute to hearing loss. This is because nicotine lowers blood oxygen and constricts blood vessels within the inner ear. Cigarette smoke can also irritate the lining of the ear, interfere with auditory neurotransmitters. This risk also affects those who have regular contact with a smoker, even if they don’t smoke themselves.
Mr Amit Parmar said, “Protecting your hearing health is vitally important, and it’s necessary to prevent loss before it’s too late, as it’s usually irreversible. Simple things like wearing ear protection and not using cotton swabs may not seem like much, but they can help in ensuring that the risk of hearing loss is minimised, as it affects people’s overall quality of life.”