Seems as if we’re constantly trying to stay youthful. From wrinkle creams to Botox to special diets to spin class, we spend a great number of hours each day doing everything we can to slow the steady march of aging. Still, with that amount of time and effort, we have a tendency to avoid doing one easy thing that could actually work: using ear protection.
Many people probably think of hearing loss as inevitable as we age. But it’s not that easy. By protecting your ears (and treating them with a bit of kindness as you go), you can help avoid damage and keep your hearing in good condition. And excellent hearing can have considerable anti-aging effects as the years go on.
Hearing And Aging
When we speak about “aging” we don’t usually mean the actual passage of time. Instead, “aging” usually describes the presentation of certain physical, mental, or emotional attributes that we link to getting older. Joint pain is a great illustration of this. When your knees start to bother you, you might relate that with “getting old”. But it’s not age by itself that leads to the problem (your everyday 5-mile run might have something to do with it, also).
The same is true of many types of hearing loss. As you age, damage accumulates. The build-up of damage, in most cases, is the actual cause of hearing degeneration. And that’s when the problems can begin to grow out of control. Neglected hearing loss has been linked to a number of other indications of aging:
- Anxiety and depression have been demonstrated to have a strong connection to hearing loss.
- When hearing problems are undetected and untreated they can often hasten the onset of other mental health problems, including dementia.
- Neglected hearing loss may cause you to self-isolate from family or friends.
- Occasionally, problems like insomnia and loss of memory, can be triggered by the cognitive strain of attempting to hear. And that can make you feel like you’re aging in a particularly intense way.
What to do About Age Related Hearing Loss
You’re actually emphasizing damage prevention when you battle the “signs of aging” in your ears. And thankfully, there are a number of ways to achieve that. For example, you can:
- Wear ear protection to work if your job exposes you to loud noise. Current ear muffs have incredible technology that can allow you to hear voices with clarity while eliminating loud, harmful environmental sounds.
- Increase your awareness. It isn’t only the painfully loud sounds that can result in damage. Moderate sound for longer periods of time can cause injury to your ears, too.
- Steer clear of loud noises as much as you can. If you have to expose yourself to loud noise, wear hearing protection. So when you go to that concert with your favorite band, be sure to use earplugs.
Your ears can be protected by all of these steps. But in order to keep your hearing in good condition you can do one more thing: come see us for a hearing test. Making sure you get hearing examinations regularly can help you catch hearing loss before it’s even noticeable. Even if your hearing is perfectly normal, an exam will still be capable of providing a useful baseline to compare against future results.
Wear Hearing Aids to Keep Your Ears Healthy
We live in a noisy world. Your ability to protect against damage is critical, but you might eventually notice some hearing loss even with your best efforts. If that’s the case, it’s vital that you seek help as quickly as possible. Some of the age related concerns associated with hearing loss can be avoided with a quality pair of set aids.
Hearing aids can assist your hearing to function more youthfully, sort of like a facelift for your ears. And that can help keep depression, dementia, and other issues from increasing. This example only goes so far since a facelift is cosmetic and hearing aids are essential. You may look younger if you use wrinkle cream. But your best choice, if want to feel younger, is to treat your hearing loss and protect your ears.