While hearing loss—to some degree—is fairly common as we get older, it doesn’t mean that younger adults can’t also experience some form of hearing loss. Whether you are concerned that your hearing is declining or you are trying to prevent hearing loss from happening to you, here are some reasons why this problem can occur earlier on in life.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

One of the most common reasons people develop hearing loss is exposure to loud and harmful noises. A lot of these noises are present in our environment such as the construction happening right outside our apartment or the traffic jam you always seem to get stuck in at rush hour. Repeated exposure to these harmful elements can lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIFL). Everyone from children and teens to adults can develop this form of hearing loss.

In some cases, NIFL is caused by exposure to one extremely loud sound (e.g. explosion), while other times it’s due to repeated, long-term exposure to harmful noises. Everything from hunting to using a lawnmower can put your hearing at risk.

Luckily, NIFL is preventable. It’s important to understand that certain noises can be dangerous to your hearing. By incorporating more hearing-friendly practices into your day-to-day life you could reduce your risk of hearing loss. Besides knowing what sounds are harmful to your ears, it’s important that you consider wearing some kind of protection (e.g. ear plugs) when exposed to these noises. If you don’t have protection and can’t reduce the sound, try to stay as far away from it as possible.

Ruptured Eardrum

Injuries the eardrum, sudden changes in pressure or even loud noises can cause the eardrum to rupture. Sometimes an undetected ear infection can also cause this problem. As a result, hearing can be affected.

While sometimes hearing loss after a ruptured eardrum is only temporary if the eardrum doesn’t heal properly or isn’t treated this could lead to repeated ear infections which, over time, could cause permanent hearing loss. If you are someone who is prone to infections, or if you think your eardrum has ruptured, it’s important that you turn to an ENT doctor right away.

If you aren’t able to hear people as clearly as you once did it’s important that you get a hearing screening as soon as possible. The sooner you seek care the sooner you can get the treatment you need to prevent your hearing loss from getting worse. Turn to an otolaryngologist today.

Maybe you didn’t even notice it but other members of your family pointed out the fact that you need to blast the TV in order to hear it or that you have to asked people to repeat themselves quite often. If people often sound like they are mumbling or difficult to understand then you could be dealing with hearing loss. Approximately 48 million Americans deal with some degree of hearing loss. If you are part of this statistic then it’s important that you turn to an otolaryngologist you can trust.

While you may not realize it, an ENT doctor is exactly the specialist you want on your side to not only diagnose your hearing loss but also to provide the hearing aid you need to improve your hearing. While a hearing aid is not designed to restore hearing it can help amplify certain sounds to make hearing much easier.

There are a variety of different hearing aid options available to you, and the style you choice will really depend on your goals, lifestyle, degree of hearing loss, budget and any special features you are looking for. Common hearing aids styles include:

Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC): Just as the name suggests, this style of hearing aid is placed deep within the ear canal so it’s completely invisible. It’s a great option for those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Completely-in-Canal (CIC): Also good for mild-to-moderate hearing loss, this style will allow the hearing aid to be completely invisible within the ear canal. The only difference is that a clear tab on the hearing aid is used to place and remove it.

In-the-Canal (ITC): A small portion of this hearing aid is visible but it is flesh-colored so it won’t be obvious to those around you. It’s a great style for those dealing with mild to severe hearing loss.

In-the-Ear (ITE): This style is also capable of handling a wide variety of hearing loss, from mild to severe. This hearing aid is custom-made to fit the outer area of the ear rather than sitting within the ear canal.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC): This allows the speaker to sit within the ear canal where it is out of sight; however, the speaker is connected to the amplifier (which sits behind the ear) by wires rather than tubing. It’s a discreet option for those with mild-to-severe hearing loss.

Behind-the-Ear (BTE): This type of hearing aid allows the speaker to lie hidden within the ear canal. The speaker is attached to a clear, thin tube that is connected to the amplifier, which sits behind the ear. This is a great option for those with moderate-to-severe hearing loss.

It’s important to find the right hearing aid to fit your unique needs, and an ENT doctor can provide you with the quality hearing aid you’re looking for so that you can be part of the conversation again.

Hearing loss is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans. Don’t be next!

From going to loud concerts to walking by a construction site, there are many instances in which our ears can take some pretty nasty abuse; however, over time these sounds can take a serious toll on our hearing. And if you work in a rather loud environment, it’s vitally important that you take the necessary precautions you need to protect your hearing for the future. Find out how to protect your ears and whether your workplace warrants protection.

Assess Your Workplace’s Noise Levels

Ask yourself these questions to determine whether you work in a loud environment:

• Do you leave work with ringing in your ears?
• Do you experience temporary hearing loss after leaving your workplace?
• Do you have to shout at coworkers who are close by just to be heard?

If you’ve agreed with most or all of these questions, you are most likely working in an environment in which your ears need protection.

Protecting Your Ears on the Job

Here are some ways to protect your precious hearing from a loud workplace:

• Talk to your ENT doctor about earplugs or muffs that you can wear to protect your hearing. Not all ear protection is created equally, so you’ll want to find ones that are strong and durable enough to provide the ultimate protection.
• Get annual evaluations from your otolaryngologist to make sure that your hearing isn’t being impacted by your workplace. Through these evaluations we can check the health of your ears and provide you with tips for how to better protect your ears.
• Try and operate any noisy machinery on shifts where there are fewer people working.
• Limit an employee’s exposure to certain loud noises and offer noise-free areas that workers can go to get relief.
• Make sure that machinery and equipment is well oiled and maintained. Make sure there is a sound barrier such as a wall that can be used to separate workers from the machinery whenever possible.
• Opt for using low-noise machinery.
• It’s important that if your hearing is being affected that you work with your employer to make sure some of these options are implemented so that you can protect your hearing while on the job.

Hearing is so very important and any ear, nose and throat doctor will agree. If you want to be able to hear crystal clear for many years to come it’s important that you implement specific measures now. Protect your ears and they will serve you well in the future!

If you think you might be losing your hearing, you’re not alone. In fact, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) more than 30% of adults over 65 have some degree of hearing loss. That includes 14% of people between the ages of 45 and 64 have some degree of hearing difficulty.

• Hear muffled speech or sounds
• Have a problem understanding individual words
• Need people to speak more loudly or slowly
• Have to turn up the television or radio
• Withdraw from social events or conversations

• Protect your ears by wearing earplugs or earmuffs if you are in a loud workplace
• Have your hearing tested by an audiologist or ENT specialist. Current recommendations are to have your hearing tested at least every 10 years through age 50, and every three years after age 50.
• Protect your ears from damaging loud noises in your daily activities and recreation, especially listening to rock concerts, shooting guns or riding in loud vehicles.
• Take breaks from continuous loud noises.