New Year’s Resolutions to Make for Your Hearing Health

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, “About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.” But despite this, only one in five people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one, reports the Hearing Loss Association of America.

It’s important to care for your hearing and seek treatment when you need it. This is why we review four New Year’s resolutions to make for the benefit of your hearing health.

Wear Hearing Protection

If you work in a noisy industry like construction or air travel, it’s important to wear earplugs or earmuffs whenever you’re exposed to sounds over 85 dB – about the volume of highway traffic or California Eatery Bakery & Cafe on Burbank Boulevard during their peak hours. The same goes for if you enjoy noisy hobbies like shooting firearms or attending concerts.

Lower the Volume

Similarly, you’ll want to protect your hearing by keeping the volume low when listening to music, podcasts or other media through earbuds and headphones. You should follow the 60/60 rule, which states that you should listen at no more than 60% of the device’s maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.

Get a Hearing Test

If you’re at risk of hearing loss – like if you’re regularly exposed to loud noise, have a family history of hearing loss or are over the age of 50 – you should schedule a hearing test. If you don’t have hearing loss, it can serve as a baseline that you can compare future tests to, so your audiologist can easily detect changes to your hearing in the future, and if you do have hearing loss, you’ll be able to seek the treatment you need.

Invest in Hearing Aids

Suppose your hearing test reveals you do, in fact, have hearing loss. The next step is to make the investment in hearing aids. These medical devices work by amplifying sounds to a level your ears can easily detect. Many of today’s hearing aids boost amazing features such as Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeability, automatic programming and more.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call Sound Advice today.