It seems as if we’re constantly attempting to stay young. From wrinkle creams to Botox to special diets to spin class, we spend a great number of hours every day doing everything we can to slow down the aging process. Still, with all that time and effort, we commonly neglect doing one simple thing that might really work: using ear protection.
Most people most likely think of hearing loss as inevitable as we get older. But it’s not as simple as that. You can keep your hearing in great shape and help prevent damage by protecting and taking care of your ears. And great hearing can have significant anti-aging effects as time goes by.
Aging And Hearing
When we talk about “aging” we don’t normally mean the actual passing of time. Instead, “aging” typically refers to the presentation of certain emotional, mental, or physical characteristics that we link to aging. Pain in your joints is a perfect example of this. When your knees start to hurt, you may relate that with “growing old”. But it’s not age by itself that leads to the problem (your everyday 5-mile run could have something to do with it, also).
Many types of hearing loss fall into this category. There’s a build-up of damage as you get older. And in most cases, it’s the build-up of damage that leads to the actual hearing degeneration. And it’s typically downhill from there. Several other indications of aging have been associated with hearing loss:
- Self isolation from family and friends can be the result of neglected hearing loss.
- Research has shown a strong link between untreated hearing loss, anxiety, and depression.
- In some instances, the mental demand involved in attempting to hear can lead to problems such as loss of memory or insomnia. And that might make you feel like you’re getting old in a particularly intense way.
- When hearing problems are undetected and neglected they can often accelerate the onset of other mental health problems, including dementia.
So How do I Combat Age-Related Hearing Loss?
You’re really emphasizing damage prevention when you combat the “signs of aging” in your ears. And it’s fortunate that we can accomplish that using several methods. Here are some things you can do:
- Boost your awareness. You can still suffer harm to your hearing even if sounds are not painfully loud. Moderate noise for extended periods of time can cause damage to your ears, too.
- Steer clear of loud noises as much as you can. If you need to expose yourself to loud noise, wear hearing protection. So make certain you use earplugs when you go see your favorite band.
- Wear ear protection to work if your job exposes you to loud noise. With modern quality ear muffs, loud sounds are filtered out while voices are still able to be heard with clarity.
Your ears can be protected by all of these steps. But there’s one more step you can take to keep your hearing in fighting condition: schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam. Making certain you get hearing tests regularly can help you discover hearing loss before it’s even perceptible. You should still have a screening even if your hearing is fine so that you can have a standard to compare against in the future.
Keep Your Hearing Healthy With Hearing Aids
The world we live in can be noisy. Despite your best effort to protect your hearing, you still might eventually detect some hearing loss. You need to seek out help right away if you do detect any symptoms of hearing loss. Some of the age related issues related to hearing loss can be prevented with a good pair of hearing aids.
Hearing aids can help your ears function more youthfully, kind of like a facelift for your ears. And dementia, depression, and other problems can be avoided. This example only goes so far since a facelift is cosmetic and hearing aids are essential. You may look younger if you use wrinkle cream. But if you actually want to fight aging and feel somewhat more youthful, your best bet is to protect your ears and take care of your hearing loss.