Hearing Loss

Protecting Hearing as part of Healthy Lifestyle

 healthy lifestyle is a difficult task.  While many people focus their attention on diet, exercise and staying out of the sun, there is one crucial factor many ignore until it is too late.  The advent of iPods and portable MP3 players has much to do with it, but it is certainly not the only thing.  It, if you have not deduced, is hearing loss, and too frequently hearing is not equated with a healthy lifestyle.  Hearing loss is

             so important the CDC
              has a webpage devoted to hearing. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/index.html

It is a shame that many people take
their hearing for granted.  The ear buds fit so easily into ears, and people take great pleasure in enjoying their music while running or exercising.  The benefits of exercise are clear, but if you crank the music as loud as possible, you stand a chance of losing your hearing.  After all, if you realize you do not hear as well any longer and seek attention, it is too late.  The damage is done and is frequently permanent.

Many do not realise but some of the 


 things we do around the house could be as dangerous as or worse for hearing than the music.  Running a lawn mower or a weed eater without adequate hearing protection is very dangerous.  While many wear eye and leg protection, hearing is often ignored.  Again, by the time you recognize damage from hearing loss, it is too late.

The best way to avoid hearing loss 


 is similar to sun protection.  Prevention is the key.  Turning down the music on the MP3 player or wearing ear protection while working outside is ideal.  After all, if it is too loud now, it will be too soft much later on in life because of your ear nerve damage.  Even professional musicians wear hearing protection while on stage because of hearing loss potential.

It is likely that hearing 


 capabilities will fade as you age.  As the eyes begin to weaken as you approach middle age, it is likely your hearing will fade as well.  Do not let this concern you; the technology of the modern hearing aid ( http://www.earq.com/ ) is far more advanced than it once was.  Digital technology and microprocessors implanted in hearing aids have made them virtually invisible once in place.  For the hearing impaired, it is a marvelous advancement.

The average consumer spends quite a 


bit of money on gym memberships, healthy foods and exercises a few times a week.  While the focus on the body and overall health is a good idea, too many seem to forget or even ignore hearing as a part of that healthy lifestyle.  It is a real shame because if an apple a day will keep a doctor away; what could we do to keep the audiologist away as well?