Can you hear me now? How to protect your hearing.

According to the American Hearing Research Foundation, approximately 15% of teens have some hearing loss. They cite high-volume things like concerts, events and electronic devices as the culprits.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that 2.5 billion people worldwide will suffer from some hearing loss by 2050. 

It is time to act.  

There are multiple things you can do to protect your hearing. First, according to the Ear Science Institute of Australia and several other organizations, you should get an annual hearing exam. Hearing loss often occurs gradually, and you may not notice as it happens. As with most things, the earlier you catch it, the easier it is to treat it. And catching it is important. Decreased hearing has been linked to impacting mental health and is a risk factor for developing dementia.  

To protect your hearing, you should also wear earplugs in loud situations like concerts and mowing the grass, to name a few. For details on different types of earplugs and how to insert and care for them, visit the Hearing Health Foundation website.  

Making healthy choices can also help prevent hearing loss. A study from Japan published on the National Library of Medicine website stated that smokers are approximately one and a half times more likely to develop high-frequency hearing loss than nonsmokers. Plus, quitting smoking will help your health in numerous ways. 

Listening to headphones too long and at too loud of a volume is another risk factor for hearing loss. For tips on how to use headphones safely, read our Tips to protect your hearing when using headphones blog.

For additional information on preventing and treating hearing loss, talk to your family physician.