Everyone wants to stay youthful for as long as they can. 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 energy (and all those hours), the one thing that might actually work, we often avoid: wearing ear protection.
Hearing impairment is often one of those “signs of aging” that we often think of as inevitable. But it’s not that simple. You can keep your hearing in good shape and help avoid damage by safeguarding and taking care of your ears. And excellent hearing can have significant anti-aging benefits as the years go on.
Hearing And Aging
The actual passage of time is not generally what we are making reference to when we speak of aging. Instead, certain mental. emotional, or physical changes are indications that someone is getting older. Joint pain is a perfect example of this. You might associate sore knees, for instance, with “getting old”. But it’s not age by itself that leads to the issue (your regular 5-mile run could have something to do with it, too).
Many types of hearing loss fall under this category. There’s a build-up of damage as you grow older. And in most cases, it’s the build-up of damage that causes the actual hearing degeneration. And that’s when the problems can start to grow out of control. A number of other signs of aging have been connected to hearing loss:
- The onset of mental issues, including dementia, can sometimes be accelerated by ignored or unnoticed hearing loss.
- Anxiety and depression have been demonstrated to have a significant link to hearing loss.
- Self isolation from friends and family can be the result of neglected hearing loss.
- In some situations, the mental demand associated with attempting to hear can result in issues like memory loss or insomnia. And that might make you feel like you’re getting old in a particularly profound way.
So How do I Fight Age-Related Hearing Loss?
When you combat the “signs of aging” in your ears, you’re really placing a focus on controlling damage. And it’s fortunate that we can achieve that using several methods. For example, you can:
- Wear hearing protection to work if your job exposes you to loud noise. With modern high quality ear muffs, loud sounds are filtered out while you can still hear people talking clearly.
- Become more aware. It’s not only the painfully loud sounds that can cause harm. Moderate sound for extended periods of time can cause harm to your ears, too.
- Try to avoid loud noises as much as possible. And when you can’t avoid high volume areas, use hearing protection. So when you go see that concert with your favorite band, be certain to wear earplugs.
Your ears can be safeguarded by all of these steps. But there’s one more thing you can do to keep your hearing in fighting shape: schedule an appointment with us for a hearing exam. Catching hearing loss before you even notice it can be accomplished by getting regular examinations. Even if your hearing is perfectly fine, an exam will still be capable of providing a useful baseline to compare against future results.
Keep Your Ears Healthy by Wearing Hearing Aids
The world we live in can be loud. Despite your best effort to protect your hearing, you still might eventually notice some hearing loss. You should get help as soon as possible if you do detect any symptoms of hearing loss. A good pair of hearing aids can help counter some of the so-called age-related issues related to hearing impairments.
Hearing aids can help your ears function more youthfully, kind of like a facelift for your ears. And dementia, depression, and other issues can be prevented. This example only goes so far since a facelift is cosmetic and hearing aids are necessary. Wrinkle creams may help you look younger. But your best bet, if want to feel younger, is to take care of your hearing loss and safeguard your hearing.