Although about 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids, only about 20% of people who could benefit actually wears one.
It’s important to care for your hearing health, as untreated hearing loss is associated with higher rates of feelings of loneliness, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, falls and even dementia.
Below we review four New Year’s resolutions to make for your hearing health.
1. Turn Down the Volume
The World Health Organization estimates that over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices, specifically when it comes to listening to music and other media through earbuds and headphones. To practice safe listening, follow the 60/60 rule: listen at no more than 60% of the device’s maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
2. Wear Hearing Protection
Whether you work in a noisy workplace like the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Amarillo or you enjoy noisy hobbies like playing in a band, it’s essential that you wear hearing protection whenever you’re exposed to noise levels over 85 dB. This is about the volume of traffic on a highway.
3. Schedule a Hearing Test
Whether you suspect you have hearing loss or not, getting a hearing test can be beneficial. Even if you don’t have hearing loss, having a baseline to compare future tests to can help your audiologist monitor changes to your hearing. If you do have hearing loss, the earlier you catch it, the easier it is to treat and the less likely you’ll experience the negative effects listed above.
4. Invest in Hearing Aids
If your hearing test does reveal that you have hearing loss, it’s important to follow your audiologist’s recommendation and get treatment. In most cases, this will involve investing in hearing aids, which work by amplifying sounds to a level your ears can detect with ease. Many of today’s hearing aids boast amazing features like rechargeability, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic programming and more.
For more information about caring for your hearing health or to schedule an appointment with an expert audiologist, call Amarillo Hearing Clinic today.
