Secrets to Preventing Hearing Loss

Hand holding hearing protection earmuffs that can prevent hearing loss.

Chances are you’ve already noticed that you don’t hear as well as you once did. In most cases, we don’t even recognize that our decisions are negatively impacting our hearing.

With a few simple lifestyle changes, many kinds of hearing loss can be avoided. What follows are 6 secrets that will help you preserve your hearing.

1. Manage Your Blood Pressure

It’s not good if your blood pressure stays high. A study revealed that people with higher than-average blood pressure are 52% more likely to develop hearing loss, not to mention other health issues.

Reduce injury to your hearing by taking actions to reduce your blood pressure. Consult a doctor as soon as possible and never dismiss your high blood pressure. Management of blood pressure includes correct diet, exercise, stress management, and following your doctor’s orders.

2. Quit Smoking

There are plenty of reasons to quit smoking, here’s yet another: People who smoke are 15% more likely to suffer from hearing loss. What’s even more alarming is that there’s a 28% higher chance of someone developing hearing problems if they are regularly subjected to second-hand smoke. The harmful repercussions of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also stay in the air for long periods.

If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and consider quitting. If you spend time with a smoker, take actions to decrease your exposure to second-hand smoke.

3. Regulate Your Diabetes

Diabetes or pre-diabetes impacts one out of four adults. Unless they make some serious lifestyle changes, someone who is pre-diabetic will very likely get diabetes within 5 years.

Blood vessels that are injured by high blood sugar don’t efficiently transport nutrients. Compared to someone who doesn’t have diabetes, a diabetic person has more than twice the chance of developing hearing loss.

If you have diabetes, protect your hearing by taking the appropriate steps to manage it. If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, protect your hearing by making lifestyle changes to avoid it.

4. Lose Some Weight

This isn’t about body image or feeling good about yourself. It’s about your health. As your Body Mass Index (BMI) rises, so does your risk of hearing loss and other health disorders. A mildly obese woman (with a 30 to 34 BMI) has a 17% higher chance of getting hearing loss. For somebody with a BMI of 40 (moderate obesity), the risk increases to 25%.

Work to eliminate some of that extra weight. Something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day can lower your risk of hearing loss and prolong your life.

5. Don’t Overuse OTC Drugs

Certain over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can lead to hearing loss. The more often these drugs are taken over a prolonged period of time, the greater the risk.

Drugs including acetaminophen, naproxen, ibuprofen, and aspirin are known to lead to hearing loss. Take these drugs moderately and consult your doctor if you’re using them on a regular basis.

Studies reveal that you’ll probably be okay if you’re using these medications occasionally in the recommended doses. Using them every day, however, raises the chance of hearing loss by up to 40% for men.

Always follow your doctor’s advice. But if you’re taking these drugs every day to deal with chronic pain or thin your blood, consult your doctor about lifestyle changes you can make to lessen your dependence on OTC drugs.

6. Eat More Broccoli

Broccoli is high in nutrients and vitamins like C and K and also has lots of iron. Iron is essential to blood circulation and a healthy heart. Iron helps your blood carry oxygen and nutrients to cells to keep them healthy and nourished.

If you’re a vegetarian or eat very little meat, it’s critical that you consume enough plant-based iron. You’re more likely to be iron deficient because the iron found in plants is less bioavailable than the iron found in meat.

Pennsylvania State University researchers examined more than 300,000 individuals. Individuals who have anemia (extreme iron deficiency) are twice as likely, according to this research, to experience sensorineural hearing loss than people who have normal iron concentrations. Sensorineural hearing loss is the scientific term for irreversible hearing loss associated with aging.

Sound is picked up and sent to the brain by tiny little hairs in the inner ear which vibrate with the frequency and volume of that sound. If poor circulation or an iron deficiency causes these delicate hairs to die they will be gone forever.

You’re never too young to get your hearing examined, so don’t wait until it gets worse. Prevent hearing loss by implementing these simple tips in your daily life.

The content of this blog is the intellectual property of MedPB.com and is reprinted here with permission. The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive a hearing aid consultation, call today to schedule an appointment.