Can you hear me now? Great. Let’s keep it that way.
Noise is a natural part of our everyday lives, and we simply can’t get enough of it - or away from it. We wake up to the sound of our alarm clock, wash ourselves to the sound of shower water hitting the tub, and engage in our daily activities to the sound of car horns honking, fingers clicking away against keyboards, music blasting over the radio… even bubblegum popping. But this daily exposure to noise comes at a cost.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 5% of the world’s population – approximately 466 million people of all ages – live with disabling hearing loss. It is estimated that by 2050, that number will nearly double, indicating that roughly one in every ten people across the globe will have disabling hearing loss, caused either by genetic or environmental factors, or a combination of the two.
For millions of people, sufficient access to public health services can help treat or even prevent altogether. But beyond monitoring and treatment by medical professionals, there are easy measures you can take to prevent hearing loss, at any age, all by yourself.
Best practices for preventing hearing loss in children, adults & senior citizens
#1 - Prioritize ear health
It is of utmost importance that you prevent and treat ear infections, as repeat infections can lead to hearing loss. How? You can reduce the risk of contracting an ear infection by keeping your ears clean and dry after swimming or bathing, and practicing cold prevention activities, such as washing hands, irrigating your nose with a Neti Pot, and taking allergy medications as needed, as colds can sometimes develop into various infections. If you do, however, contract an ear infection, you can prevent complications leading to hearing loss through early detection, and appropriate medical or surgical interventions. Talk to your family practitioner for more information.
#2 - Protect your ears
An easy and effective way to protect your ears from loud noises associated with hearing loss is to create a buffer between your ears and the sounds in your surrounding area. All you need to do is pop in earplugs, or wear noise-canceling headphones. Most earplugs reduce noise by 15 to 30 dB, and while noise-canceling headphones do block out low-pitch noises from your surroundings, you’ll still be able to hear voices, conversations, and other higher-pitched noises in your midst. Learn more about How to Use Headphones without Damaging Your Ears
#3 - Create ‘noise-absorbing environments’
Another great way to prevent hearing loss in our noisy world is to create “noise-absorbing environments” with carpeting, upholstered furniture, flowing curtains, and other materials throughout your rooms and home. The individual fibers within these materials trap sounds flowing into rooms through windows, doors, and other sources, enabling you to hear well, without damaging your ears.
#4 - Engage in safe listening
When choosing to listen to speech, music, or other sounds on your digital devices, it is recommended that you do so using safe listening practices. The louder the sound, the shorter the listening time should be, and it is recommended that you move away from loud sounds and find quieter locations, even while at noisy venues, like weddings, or concerts. It is also recommended that you keep the volume at a comfortable level and at no more than 60% of maximum volume, as determined while situated in a quiet environment, from the get-go.
With Tunefork, you can continue to enjoy your favorite sounds, while also engaging in safe listening practices. We deliver highly personalized Audio Profiles to ensure optimum mobile device sound. Our audio personalization technology software enables you to perform a simple hearing test that grades your specific hearing problem. The test results, paired with sophisticated algorithms to adjust frequencies, create an optimal and optimally safe, custom-made audio experience for all audio content: phone calls, rings and alerts, TV shows, voice messages, music, video, GPS instructions, in-car infotainment, smart assistant response and much more.
Want to know more about protecting your hearing at any age, with Tunefork? Download the Tunefork app today!
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