HEARING LOSS INFORMATION AND PREVENTION

According to research, approximately 10 % of the American population is afflicted with some kind of hearing loss problem. Hearing loss is either attributed to old age, accidents or damaged eardrums or genetic factors. Hearing loss of this type is preventable and is caused when the eardrums are subjected to loud noises over a long period of time.

 

A recognizable symptom of hearing loss can be seen when a person favors his one ear over another and turns his head either to the right or left side so that he can catch what is being said and understand it.

Again if a person constantly asks the speaker to repeat what he/she has said, it is possible that the former is suffering from some amount of hearing loss. In spite of being in a quiet atmosphere, if an individual tends to talk louder than normal, it indicates that it’s time to get his/her hearing levels checked by an ENT specialist.

 

 

When a buzzing or ringing is heard in either one or both of the ears, it is called tinnitus and affects a person’s overall hearing level. Allergies, a medical condition or overexposure to loud noises are the main causes of tinnitus, and it has proved to be incurable, till date.

 

 

Can anything be done to reduce the risk of loss of hearing ability? Common sense says that whenever your ears are at risk of being exposed to a noisy environment, you should try to protect your ears. Special noise-reducing earmuffs or earplugs that can be purchased at a local drug store and are relatively inexpensive can come in handy. Your hearing is priceless. There is no harm in spending a few bucks on protection of the ears since your hearing can never be replaced once it is lost.

 

 

You can also prevent hearing loss by having your hearing tested. Your hearing loss can be kept at a minimum level, if problems (if there are any) are detected early.