Seems like we’re always trying to stay youthful. From gym memberships to Botox to wrinkle cream to special diets, we spend a great number of hours every day doing everything we can to slow the steady march of aging. And yet, even with all that effort (and all that time), the one thing that could actually work, we often avoid: using ear protection.
Hearing loss is often one of those “signs of aging” that we frequently consider to be inevitable. But it’s not as simple as that. By safeguarding your ears (and treating them with a bit of kindness along the way), you can help avoid damage and keep your hearing in great shape. And great hearing can have significant anti-aging effects as time goes by.
Aging And Hearing
When we speak about “aging” we don’t normally mean the actual passing of time. Rather, “aging” usually describes the presentation of certain physical, mental, or emotional attributes that we link to getting older. A great example of this is joint pain. When your knees start to hurt, you might associate that with “getting old”. But lifestyle has as much to do with this as does age.
The same goes for many types of hearing loss. There’s an accumulation of damage as you grow older. The build-up of damage, in most situations, is the actual cause of hearing degeneration. And that’s when things can start to grow out of control. Untreated hearing loss has been connected to several other indications of aging:
- In some instances, the mental strain involved in attempting to hear can result in problems like memory loss or insomnia. And that can make you feel like you’re getting old in a particularly profound way.
- Self isolation from friends and family can be the consequence of untreated hearing loss.
- The onset of mental problems, including dementia, can often be accelerated by neglected or unnoticed hearing loss.
- Depression and anxiety have been demonstrated to have a significant connection to hearing loss.
What to do About Age Related Hearing Loss
You’re really emphasizing damage prevention when you fight the “signs of aging” in your ears. And luckily, there are quite a few ways to achieve that. For instance, you can:
- Steer clear of loud noises as much as possible. And when you can’t stay away from high volume places, use hearing protection. So make sure you wear earplugs when you go to that rock concert.
- Boost your awareness. You can still suffer harm to your hearing even if sounds aren’t painfully loud. Moderate noise for longer durations can cause damage to your ears, too.
- Wear ear protection to work if your job exposes you to loud noise. Modern ear muffs have amazing technology that can let you hear voices with clarity while filtering out loud, damaging environmental sounds.
Your ears can be safeguarded by all of these steps. But there’s one more thing you can do to keep your ears in fighting shape: schedule an appointment with us for a hearing examination. Making certain you undergo hearing tests regularly can help you catch hearing loss before it’s even perceptible. You should still get an exam even if your hearing is fine so that you can have a standard to compare against in the future.
Keep Your Hearing Healthy by Wearing Hearing Aids
We live in a loud world. Your ability to prevent damage is crucial, but you might ultimately notice some hearing loss even with your best efforts. You need to get help as soon as possible if you do notice any symptoms of hearing loss. Some of the age related issues associated with hearing loss can be avoided with a quality pair of hearing aids.
You can maybe consider hearing aids as a facelift for your ears: something to allow your ears to work a little more youthfully. And dementia, depression, and other issues can be avoided. This example only goes so far since a facelift is cosmetic and hearing aids are essential. Wrinkle creams could help you look younger. But your best choice, if want to feel younger, is to treat your hearing loss and protect your ears.